January 18, 2024 at 6:01 pm Update: 38 minutes ago
Rotterdam police have fired an officer due to misogynistic and discriminatory comments in a WhatsApp group. Four other officers receive lighter sentences for inappropriate comments in the same group chat.
Police launched an investigation in September 2023 into the statements of the officers, who belonged to the same team. The Police Safety, Integrity and Complaints Team investigated exactly what was said and whether officers attempted to address colleagues about their behaviour.
One officer’s comments were so bad that he was fired. Four other employees receive punishments ranging from reprimand to conditional dismissal. Additionally, officials must participate in a diversity and inclusion awareness process. These agents have also been transferred to another team.
An officer was found to have made no cross-border declarations. He only receives a warning for not trying to stop the behavior.
Three other officers had previously received a similar warning. They were also in the WhatsApp group, but investigators established that the three had not made any statements.
Rotterdam police chief Fred Westerbeke believes the officers’ statements are negative. “I expect every employee in my unit to treat colleagues and citizens with respect and hold others to account if that doesn’t happen,” Westerbeke says. “This applies both during working hours and in your free time. The betrayal of trust affects all our colleagues who make a difference in our unit every day.”
- September 14, 2023 at 4:52 pm
Rotterdam police launch internal investigation into misogynistic app group
Image: ANP
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2024-01-18 17:01:14
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