Pubdate: Tue, 17 Jul 2001
Source: Daily Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 2001 Telegraph Group Limited
Contact:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/114
Author: John Steele

YOUNG PCS 'ADMIT REGULAR CANNABIS AND ECSTASY USE'

A STRONG "sub-culture" of drug-taking exists among young police constables, 
according to a new book.

Officers admitted regularly using cannabis and ecstasy and even, at times, 
gave "mini-seminars" to their dealers on how to avoid the risks of being 
caught with drugs.

Prof David Wilson spent two years talking to police officers as part of 
research into "cop culture" for What Everyone In Britain Should Know About 
the Police.

He said: "I would suggest that from what I saw, heard and (what) was 
described, there is a very strong sub-culture within the police."

The criminologist, a former prison governor, said he interviewed "more than 
a handful" of officers in a number of forces. Prof Wilson conceded that he 
had not chosen a representative sample.

He added: "These were serving police officers who were still using 
regularly and maintained that sub-culture. They would talk about the fact 
that they were going off to Amsterdam for the weekend.

"They would go to certain clubs to dance. Clearly there was an interest in 
raves and house music.

"Police forces recruit young people and given that a large number of young 
people experiment with and use drugs, I would be more surprised if a police 
force did not have a number of people who took drugs."

A spokesman for the Police Federation said: "It is our experience that 
police officers are law-abiding professionals intent on tackling the drugs 
menace, not adding to it."
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