Met Officer Found Dead Days Before Misconduct Hearing

A Metropolitan Police constable, aged in his 50s, was found dead on the roof of Kensington police station on Thursday. The officer, who reportedly drove response vehicles, had been due to attend disciplinary hearings in November. These proceedings followed his failure of a random alcohol breath test in July.

Colleagues reported the officer missing after he did not arrive for his shift. His death is not being treated as suspicious by the Metropolitan Police. An inquest into the circumstances of his death will be held, and the matter has been reported to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Background to the Hearing

The officer failed a random alcohol breath test in July. According to reports, he registered 13 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, a level considered over the limit for police officers. The legal driving limit in Britain is 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres. He had been placed on restricted duties while the investigation proceeded.

Sources suggested the officer may have been experiencing personal difficulties and issues with alcohol, which may have led to the test. The Police Federation has voiced concerns regarding officer suicides. Between 2022 and 2025, the federation reported that more than 100 police officers and staff had died by suicide, with over 200 attempts. Of the serving police officers who died by suicide, 70 were identified, and 47 of these involved individuals under misconduct or criminal investigation.

In 2025 alone, 12 of the 13 known police suicides involved officers facing investigation, the federation stated. Retired Met Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville has called for changes in how chief constables manage vulnerable staff who are undergoing misconduct proceedings.