49 Met officers suspended for corruption

But a total of 258 were officers suspended between 2009-11 for offences including sexual assault, harassment and neglect or failure in duty.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed that 88 of these claims turned out to be proven or substantiated and 33 officers were dismissed from the force.

Nearly half of those suspended were special constables. In relation to corruption 49 officers were suspended over allegations, with 15 cases proven, 18 unproven and 16 ongoing.

According to police regulations, officers can only be suspended under two circumstances - if they are likely to interfere with the course of an investigation or if it's in the public interest.

Most suspensions occur when an officer is subject to a serious criminal investigation or a serious internal misconduct investigation.

Shamik Dutta, a lawyer who handles complaints against police officers, told the BBC: "In my experience when members of the public complain about police officers it is very rare for those officers to be suspended.

"However, even if they are, investigations can take far too long, leading to victims of police misconduct suffering delayed justice."

A Met Police spokesman said: "The length of an investigation is often determined by the complex nature of some allegations which can be beyond the control of the Met. We may need to allow the judicial system or IPCC to complete their proceedings before the force can conclude an investigation."