A police officer who was found in possession of cocaine while on duty in West London and arrested at Acton Police Station has been dismissed from the Metropolitan Police
Detective Constable Hashim Waseem, who was attached to West Area which includes Ealing, was found to have breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to discreditable conduct.
On 6 July 2022, Waseem attended Polar Park Custody Suite, Heathrow and while there a small white package dropped out of his warrant card holder which police noticed. It was then tested and shown to be cocaine.
Waseem was arrested at Acton Police Station on suspicion of possessing a controlled Class A drug and transferred to Wandsworth Custody Suite.
When being searched at Wandsworth, two further wraps were discovered in his warrant card holder. A test was done on the second which tested positive for cocaine and no test was done on the third wrap.
At his police interview under caution, Waseem claimed he placed the drugs in his warrant card holder to bring into work and find out what to do with them but had forgotten they were there.
In his statement of dismissing Waseem, Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said: “DC Waseem conduct was intentional and deliberate in possessing these wraps. It is wholly implausible that he would not have remembered that further wraps were in his warrant card holder when he was arrested for suspicion of possessing cocaine. Such actions can only have the effect of damaging public confidence in policing.”
Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson said: “Our officers know the impact that drugs can have on our communities and it is extremely concerning that DC Waseem thought it was acceptable to be carrying drugs while at work.
“He should never have been in possession of drugs on or off duty and he has rightly been dismissed from the Met. There is no place for such conduct in the organisation.”
The Metropolitan Police also said Waseem will now be added to the barred list held by the College of Policing. Those on the list cannot be further employed by police, local policing bodies, the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.
