Police suspended over 'lewd behaviour' at charity ball

A police force suspended a divisional commander and several other male and female officers yesterday after allegations of "lewd behaviour" and drunkenness at a charity ball.

A police force suspended a divisional commander and several other male and female officers yesterday after allegations of "lewd behaviour" and drunkenness at a charity ball.

Avon and Somerset Police has begun an investigation into how a group of five male and five female officers allegedly spoilt a £45-a-head event attended by magistrates, businessmen, BBC managers and civic leaders in Bristol. Organisers of the fund-raising ball said the officers, who were invited to the event in recognition of the value of community policing, had been drinking before they arrived. Witnesses claimed that one female officer had taken to the dance floor with her skirt above her head, and another had entered a lavatory cubicle with a male officer.

Martin Richards, Deputy Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset, said: "Since that evening we have received a number of complaints alleging that police staff who attended the event behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional manner. As a result, I have now removed a number of officers, including the district commander, from their positions with immediate effect and a full internal investigation has begun."

The ball, which took place on 25 May, was intended to raise funds for a voluntary group called Knowle West Against Drugs (Kwads), which fights substance abuse in a troubled area of south Bristol.

Mary Smith, the founder and director of Kwads, said she was "angry and disappointed" that the affair had overshadowed the success of the event. "I am sad that this has happened," she said. "It was an absolutely fantastic night, but this has come two weeks after. It is a thorn and a pain, but there is nothing we can do about it. I have got a good relationship with the police, but I think they had to take action about this."

The organisation's chairwoman, Denise Britt, 48, described the behaviour of some of the officers as "absolutely disgusting". She said: "They all arrived late and they'd had a drink but were not that bad at that point. For starters there was a cold soup and they complained that it was cold – but that's how it's supposed to be."

Ms Britt said the behaviour of the officers grew worse as the evening went on.

"One of the female officers got on the table but she was so drunk that she fell off. Another was being groped by one of the male officers while she danced around with her skirt above her head right next to the stage. Some people tried to have a word with the Chief Superintendent about the disgusting behaviour. But they seemed to have no care about what people said. They just dismissed us.

"Not all of the male officers were involved, but the five WPCs were all being groped and that sort of thing. One of them disappeared into the toilets with one of the men."

The South Bristol divisional commander, Chief Superintendent Graham Cawley, and other officers had been invited to the ball to receive awards on behalf of two retired colleagues.

Community Police Constable Pete Evans and Commander Steve Livings, who did not attend, were given the awards for their help setting up the drugs support group.

Ms Britt said law-abiding people in Knowle West felt the officers had "let us down badly". She added: "How can the officers go out on the streets and arrest people when the whole community knows what they were up to. They are a laughing stock."