People have been taken on as police officers in Essex despite convictions for weap-ons, drugs, violence, and driving offences.
Figures released by Essex Police show that 25 of the 3,458 serving officers have criminal convictions – 15 of which happened before they joined and nine after they signed up.
One officer has convictions both before and after he joined the force.
Tony Rayner, chairman of the Essex branch of the Police Federation, was quick to point out that the figures did not distinguish between court convictions and cautions.
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