London, England - The City of London police force said on Wednesday it had launched a review of its hospitality policy after newspapers reported the Church of Scientology had spent thousands of pounds in gifts and entertainment for officers.
Invitations to charity dinners, music concerts and a film premiere were all accepted by City of London police officers, ranging from constables to superintendents, the Guardian and the Daily Mail said.
Details of the gifts, which appear on the force's register of hospitality, emerged after the newspapers made a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
City of London police declined to comment on why gifts from the controversial church, founded by L Ron Hubbard, had been accepted by its officers.
But a spokesman for the force, which covers London's financial district, said: "We are conducting a review to ensure that all members of staff are aware of the force policy on accepting hospitality and to assess whether clarification or amendment of this policy is needed."
Gifts included invitations for two police constables and a sergeant to attend the London premiere in April of "Mission Impossible 3", attended by actor Tom Cruise, who is a follower of the Scientology Church, the Guardian said.
Four officers went to a 500 pound-a-head charity dinner at the Scientologists' British base in East Grinstead, East Sussex, last month, where Cruise was again present, the reports said.
The Guardian requested details of meetings after a senior officer from the City force appeared as a guest speaker at the opening of a 23 million pound Scientology centre near London's St Paul's Cathedral last month.
At the ceremony, Chief Superintendent Kevin Hurley, the fourth most senior officer in the force, praised members of the church for the support they had provided after the July 7 suicide attacks on London last year, the Guardian reported.
Scientology followers appeared at police cordons of the Aldgate bomb site offering help to those involved in the emergency operation, the newspaper added.
Since then, officers have accepted at least nine offers of formal hospitality, the Daily Mail reported.
Gifts by the church also included a donation of 5,000 pounds for a City of London children's charity, according to the register, the Guardian said.
Most of the gifts detailed in the hospitality register were approved by senior officers, the reports said.