True scale of police corruption claims revealed: Almost 100 officers a year are suspended over misconduct allegations

• 460 police officers suspended for alleged corruption since the start of 2009
• Offences include lying about suspects and stealing drugs from police stores
• Scotland Yard suspended the most officers with 119 under investigation
• Figures came to light via Freedom of Information requests to 46 police forces
• Findings prove it's not just 'a few rotten apples', says MP
• Authorities vow to crack down on the scourge of police corruption 

By HUGO GYE FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 08:48 GMT, 26 August 2014 | UPDATED: 09:40 GMT, 26 August 2014

Almost 100 police officers are suspended on suspicion of corruption every year, MailOnline can reveal.

In the past five years, a total of 460 officers have faced investigation over allegations including selling information, hacking into police computers and interfering with criminal probes.

Officials expressed concern at the scale of the problem, while one MP said the data proves that police corruption is not just limited to 'a few rotten apples'.

As well as the 460 officers who have been suspended for alleged corruption in the UK since the start of 2009, 200 members of police staff were investigated on suspicion of corrupt practice in the same time period.

The force with by far the most suspended officers was the Metropolitan Police, where 119 officers and 67 other employees have been relieved of their duties during a corruption probe in the past five years.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard pointed out that the force, which is responsible for Greater London as well as national issues such as counter-terrorism, is much larger than any other, and insisted that it is dedicated to eliminating corruption.

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