Scotland Yard to target 'bent' police officers

Scotland Yard is to use undercover detectives to target suspected "bent" police officers in an anti-corruption initiative announced yesterday. The move was outlined in the Metropolitan Police's strategy into the next millennium, which also stated that the role of bobbies on the beat would become a "specialist" function to recognise its importance. Traffic wardens were identified as a group that could provide a more useful "patrol" function in future.

But concern that some corrupt officers could be escaping detection will lead to a re-organisation of the complaints procedures and the introduction of more "pro-active" investigations. This will include officers using covert methods, including phone taps, against suspects and obtaining tip offs from underworld informers. Jason Bennetto