Morning:
8°c
More than 300 Scotland Yard detectives are being investigated for possible fraudulent use of their corporate credit cards.
The figure is revealed in an audit report to be discussed by members of the force watchdog the Metropolitan Police Authority today.
Auditors launched an inquiry into detectives' use of the American Express credit cards two years ago after it was found that officers could not properly account for more than £3 million worth of expenses.
The cards were routinely issued to the 3,500 detectives involved in counter-terrorism and specialist crime investigation who need to claim expenses when working outside of London.
Now the internal audit has referred the claims of more than 300 officers to the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards. Only those suspected of overcharging by more than £1,000 have been referred to the DPS.
So far, their inquiries have found serious concerns with 46 officers whose cases have, in turn, been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for investigation.
Two detectives have been prosecuted and convicted as a result.
There are claims that one senior officer £40,000 on his Amex card in one year, without authorisation. Items bought by others without permission are said to include suits and fishing rods.
MPA member Jenny Jones said: “This raises questions about who was monitoring the spending on these cards and if clear instructions were given to those using them.
“It beggars belief that so many officers are suspected of fraud in this way.”
The audit probe has revealed major past failures in the Met's accountancy procedures and many detectives say the system of checking expenses was almost non-existent so many failed to keep receipts for their spending.
However, some officers are accused of using the cards to spend public money on themselves or their families.
They are alleged to have used the cards to pay for holidays and Rolex watches. One is said to have used his Met card to pay for his wife's plastic surgery.
Some of those under investigation include detectives who worked in the north of England on the 7/7 London bombings inquiry.
Last month three detectives were arrested for allegedly making “inflated” claims while investigating the bombings.
The latest report by Peter Tickner, the head of internal audit at the Metropolitan Police Authority, says his investigators have now finished examining the Amex accounts of all officers.
His report states: “In excess of 300 police officers have been referred to the Directorate of Professional Standards by my staff and forty-six of these have become formal investigations overseen by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. This has resulted in two prosecutions and convictions but most cases are still under investigation.”
The latest claims accuse officers of using their cards and public money on suits, women's clothing and fishing rods.
The MPA has now cancelled its contract with American Express in favour of a four-year deal with Barclaycard.
Under the new scheme officers will have a spending limit of £ 5,000 a year with managers receiving a monthly statement outlining the expenditure incurred by staff issued with the corporate charge card'.
The MPA says it has introduced new software checks on the expenses claims involving Barclaycard.
