THEY have sworn to uphold the law, but one criminal charge is laid against a police officer every week. New police data shows 21 charges, including drink driving and assault, have been laid against police since January -- an increase of six on the same period last year.
It also shows a total of 69 charges in 2010, with 33 laid between May and August.
Among officers to have fallen foul of the law recently is Sergeant Darren McCaughey, who was caught driving more than three times over the legal alcohol limit in Manly.
Constable Steve Phillip Jansen was last month charged with allegedly accepting bribes from an accused drug dealer and leaking police reports.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Carey, the Professional Standards Command boss, said the number of charges against officers was down from about 133 in 2007.
He said most charges involved misconduct while off-duty and "are similar to the sorts of things that the community might be involved in".
"It's alcohol-related behaviour which might be violence or assaults or drink driving. It's behaviour in relation to relationships, so it's about domestic or personal violence or neighbours," he said.
"In all of those circumstances I am disappointed, but I am not surprised. I am not naive enough to think that it's not going to happen."
Mr Carey said corruption had decreased significantly since the Wood royal commission in the mid-1990s, but serious criminal offences and corruption were still found within the police force.
About 5500 complaints are made against police every year. More than 50 per cent come from within the force, including tip-offs from officers, audits and compliance checks.
Of these, about 4500 were minor, such as rudeness.
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