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."