British royal police officers dismissed after sleeping on duty

More than 20 police officers responsible for protecting the royal family have been placed on restricted duties after some were accused of falling asleep at Windsor Castle and leaving their posts unsupervised, London police said.

A total of 23 officers from the Royalty Specialist Protection command were issued misconduct warnings, with 21 of them on restricted duties, following what the force described as an urgent investigation that began last month, the Metropolitan Police said.

"The alleged behavior falls below the high standards expected of officers, particularly in frontline protective roles," a force spokesperson said.

The allegations came to light after the Sun newspaper reported that the officers were accused of leaving their posts unsupervised at Windsor, one of King Charles' residences, as well as sleeping while on duty.

Officers from the specialized police unit are responsible for protecting members of the royal family and guarding the royal residences.

The two officers not placed on restricted duties would not be posted to royal residences while the investigation continued, the police statement said, adding that investigations were also ongoing at other royal residences.

Windsor Castle, where the king hosted US President Donald Trump last year west of London, is regularly used for both private stays and state occasions.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

Source: CNN