Police officers caught in drink-drive crackdown

The officers, who were off-duty when found to be over the legal limit, have all been suspended.

The BBC understands officers have been warned drink-drivers will be “fast-tracked” to dismissal rather than have a drawn-out disciplinary process.

Drink-driving is regarded as a severe breach of the PSNI’s code of ethics and merits an automatic sacking.

Police carried out 5,780 tests, out of which 414 drivers were over the limit – down 13% on the same period in 2008.

Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland said the officers would face “the full rigours of the law”.

He said those caught drink-driving “begin 2010 with the prospect of going to court where they will almost certainly lose their driving licence.

“They should count themselves lucky – they could have lost their own life or destroyed the lives of others had police not stopped them.”