LONDON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The number of London's police officers being sacked for misconduct -- including assault, dishonesty or failure of duty -- is on the rise, the London Evening Standard newspaper reported Tuesday.
A total of 64 London police officers were sacked for misconduct in the financial year 2016-2017, compared with 58 the previous year and 55 in 2014-2015.
The most common reason given for misconduct cases was "disreputable conduct" -- with 50 cases last year compared with 33 in 2014-2015.
Other reasons for dismissal included dishonesty, neglect or failure of duty and use of force.
The London force, also known as the Met police, is the largest police force in the United Kingdom, and one of the biggest in the world.
Conservative London Assembly member Susan Hall, who researched the figures, said she welcomed the rise if it meant the police force was being more vigilant of wrongdoing in the ranks, according to the newspaper.
The number of officers engaged in serious corruption involving criminality such as drug-dealing and perjury is falling but there are more cases of officers being involved in dishonesty, assault or misusing police data, the newspaper quoted insiders as saying.
In August this year, former Flying Squad officer David Gray was sacked for discreditable conduct after he was convicted of assault. The police constable spat at a member of the public in a road rage incident last year.
In the same month, a police constable was sacked after turning up to work high on cannabis.
A spokeswoman for the Met police said the number of officers sacked was a tiny proportion of the force.
The Met is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement in Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London, which is the responsibility of the City of London Police.
The Met also has significant national responsibilities, such as coordinating and leading on UK-wide national counter-terrorism matters, and the protection of the senior members of the British Royal Family, and also members of the Cabinet and other ministerial members of the British government.
As of March 2016, the Met employed 43,272 full-time personnel. This included 32,125 sworn police officers, 9,521 police staff, and 1,626 non-sworn police community support officers.
This number excludes the 3,271 special constables, who work part-time (a minimum of 16 hours a month) and who have the same powers and uniform as their regular colleagues.
