you’ve got to laugh a little bit, right?
In a twist that sounds like it’s straight out of a crime drama, the Metropolitan Police have found themselves in an interesting scandal that hits pretty close to home. Commander Julian Bennett, the officer who once penned the force’s anti-drugs policy, has been caught up in a haze of controversy. Allegations have recently come to light about his own ‘supposed’ drug use—allegations that put Bennett at stark odds with the very policies he helped to shape. This unexpected turn of events has led to a whirlwind of questions about integrity, law enforcement, and the legal status of cannabis. Below, we tackle some of the burning questions that arise from this startling narrative.
What’s wrong with people in that square mile of London having some sort of fetish for imposing rules with one hand while breaking them with the other?
What happened to Commander Julian Bennett of the Metropolitan Police?
Commander Julian Bennett, a top cop in the Metropolitan Police, who was actually in charge of making sure officers stayed away from drugs, got caught out avoiding a drug test when his bosses got suspicious he might be smoking weed. They asked him to take a drug test, but he took the lesser known option of “no thanks” which for some reason didn’t work well at all.
Why did Sheila Gomes accuse Bennett of drug use, and what was the outcome of these accusations?
Sheila Gomes, who used to live with Commander Bennett, rang up the police and told them Bennett was puffing on a joint every morning before his job at the police headquarters. She also alleged he would take or had taken LSD and magic mushrooms while on vacation. But when the people in charge looked into it, they decided Sheila might be making some of it up, even though they still had a problem with Bennett not taking the drug test.
How did Bennett defend himself against the drug use allegations?
Bennett was pretty upset by the whole thing, I mean you’ve got to try it on right? He told the panel checking into the mess that he’s a hard worker and that the investigation was costing a lot of money that could be better spent elsewhere. He claimed that he never touched drugs and that Sheila might be telling tales because she’s “lonely and troubled.” He also said he was using CBD, which is like a cousin to THC in cannabis but doesn’t make you high, for a medical issue and was worried it might show up on the drug test. Remember that one in case you need a good excuse 😉
What was the final decision of the disciplinary panel regarding Commander Bennett, and what are the next steps following this decision?
The disciplinary panel didn’t buy Bennett’s story about why he didn’t take the drug test. They decided that him not taking the test was gross misconduct and told him he had to leave the force. The panel didn’t think Sheila was telling the truth about everything either, but the main issue was Bennett trying to dodge the drug test. His lawyer says they’re not happy with this and are going to appeal.
So that’s the overview of the story. I don’t think many people reading this are going to be have an issue with someone wanting to enjoy a spliff or vape, or maybe some magic truffles in Amsterdam…. but c’mon you can’t be THE GUY who is behind the anti-drug legislation.