Coppers taking dope and ecstasy show remorse (9)
I believe the answer is:
penitence
'remorse' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'coppers taking dope and ecstasy' is the wordplay.
'coppers' becomes 'pence' (I've seen this before).
'taking' indicates putting letters inside.
'dope' becomes 'nit' (I've seen this in other clues).
'and' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'ecstasy' becomes 'E' (informal term for the drug).
'nit' put after 'e' is 'enit'.
'pence' placed around 'enit' is 'PENITENCE'.
'show' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for penitence that I've seen before include "shame" , "A show of regret for wrongdoing" , "Contriteness" , "display of remorse" , "Contrition, remorse" .)