The Ghent (East Flanders) labour auditor’s office has launched an investigation into the suicide of a former Ostend policewoman. The daily ‘Het Laatste Nieuws’ reports that the woman suffered bullying and intimidation at the hands of colleagues both during her time with the police service and after her dismissal. Lawyer Pieterjan Dens, who is represents the woman’s relatives says that he intends to file a complaint with the public prosecutor’s office.
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Mr Dens told VRT Radio 1’s morning news and current affairs programme ‘De ochtend’ that while working as a police officer with the Ostend Local Police Service the woman was bullied by several of her colleagues.
She reported this to her superiors “But her complaints were not taken seriously”. The woman eventually resigned. However, Mr Dens said that the intimidation continued.
Farewell video
The woman reportedly made a farewell video and wrote a suicide note. “The victim's family and friends were already aware of the issues, but the video and the note made everything all too clear. They didn't know all the details, of course and not they are coming out.”
Mr Dens won’t go into too much detail. All he will say is that the woman's superiors were informed and given “firm examples” of incidents when she had been intimidated and/or bullied.
The lawyer adds that he is going to file a complaint with the prosecutor’s office so that a criminal investigation can be launched. He believes that there is a clear link between the woman’s suicide and the harassment she suffered.
“Very serious”
It now remains to be seen what the results of the investigation will be. The Ghent labour auditor’s office will only say that the investigation is ongoing and that the case is being taken “very seriously.” “As soon as an examining magistrate is appointed, they will of course take over the investigation,” the labour auditor’s office says.
The Chief Commissioner of the Ostend Local Policed Service Philip Caestecker says that he too will await the results of the investigation. “Of course we will offer our full cooperation. If it turns out that certain things were not right, we will take appropriate steps.”