TOP OFFICER CARPETED IN POLICE DRUG ROW

A SENIOR London police officer received a public dressing down yesterday
after attacking the liberal drugs views of a colleague. Chief
Superintendent Simon Humphrey, head of the Yard's vice and clubs squad,
wrote to a newspaper accusing Commander Brian Paddick of undermining the
Yard and his own men. Earlier this week Mr Paddick told a Commons select
committee that he considered "weekend" use of cocaine and ecstasy a low
priority.

In the letter Mr Humphrey said that he regarded Mr Paddick's "personal
observations as inaccurate and irrelevant to the wider professional debate
on drug misuse". Mr Paddick had later been rebuked by Sir John Stevens, the
Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

Last night Michael Todd, the Assistant Commissioner in overall charge of
street policing, told both officers to settle their differences in private.

The two men are among the Yard's talented cadre of younger commanders.