A police constable has been accused of running a brothel in Northern Ireland.
A total of 55 officers face separate disciplinary proceedings, according to a Policing Board document.
Alleged misdemeanours include an indecent assault on a child, possession of child pornography and drugs and violent offences.
They represent a tiny proportion of a force with over 9,000 members.
Sinn Fein Board member Martina Anderson said: "In the past criminality within the police would simply have been covered up. We wouldn't even have heard about it."
During the last financial year there were 28 officers repositioned and 27 suspended.
The information emerged at a recent meeting of the Board's human rights committee.
Ms Anderson said several other long-term disciplinary cases had been resolved.
In April it emerged an officer was suspended on full pay for several years.
The Sinn Fein MLA for Foyle added: "I said then that it was unacceptable for disciplinary cases to drag on for months and years at huge cost to the public purse. I am glad that message now seems to be getting through."
Many of the cases are still being processed and guilt has not been proven.
The Board said: "There is rightly public interest in this issue and the committee has been keeping a close watch on how cases are being progressed.
"A detailed report on the outcome of investigations is provided in the Board human rights annual report.
"Whilst committee members have been concerned around the nature of some of the investigations, members are agreed that the number of ongoing investigations sends a strong message to officers that anyone who breaks the law will not escape the law."
A police spokeswoman said the service expects staff to behave professionally at all times. A breach of its code of ethics may prompt a criminal or disciplinary investigation.
She said: "The PSNI, like any other organisation, has a disciplinary process which officers must go through. All disciplinary proceedings in connection with suspected offences committed by officers who have been suspended from duty will be dealt with as expeditiously as possible.
"However the officers must be subject to our disciplinary process and, where applicable, the criminal process.
"Whilst the police service takes extremely seriously any allegation of wrongdoing the number of cases must be put in context of the overall size of the police service, which has over 9,000 full and part-time officers."
More Information: http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/Cop-accused-of-running-brothel.4711899.jp
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