Two former local police inspectors from Antwerp Province have been sentenced to community service for drug use and unlawfully consulting police databases. Messages they sent to each other revealed that they used cocaine and MDMA just before the start of their shift. They carried out checks for drug use among motorists while high on the drug cocaine.
The officers in their thirties were working for the police traffic team at the time of the offence. They checked drivers for drug use in traffic, while they themselves were high on cocaine and MDMA, a synthetic psychoactive drug.
Both men exchanged messages about their drug use. These messages revealed that they sometimes started work shortly after taking narcotics. According to the police watchdog, Committee P, which oversees the work of the police services, they carried out traffic checks while under influence.
The inspectors also consulted police databases when they were not allowed to do so. One of them even shared confidential information about planned police checks with acquaintances.
Officers don't live up to exemplary role
The two men ‘seriously violated their exemplary role as police inspectors’ and ‘undermined trust in the police,’ a judge ruled. However, the court took into account that the men are now trying to get a grip on their drug use.
The Turnhout Criminal Court sentenced them to 70 and 90 hours of community service and a fine of 8,000 euros, part of which was suspended. If they fail to complete their community service, they will have to go to prison.