Between January 2017 and July 2022, Belgian police issued 380 disciplinary sentences against police officers, an average of more than one per week, according to statistics requested from the Minister of Interior Annelies Verlinden by MP Eva Platteau on Friday.
Around 70 offences each year are related to drugs and alcohol. The most frequent sanction against police officers was a reprimand (128), followed by withholding of wages (127). Officers can also receive an official warning and reduced pay. A total of 29 dismissals took place in this time period, which accounted for around 8% of the penalties.
Alcohol appears to be a problem for Belgium’s police force. In the course of five years, 125 punishments were handed out for the consumption of alcohol before and during work hours.
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The majority of disciplinary sanctions (224) related to the consumption of alcohol while an officer was off duty. Officers who blow over the limit or get in trouble for alcohol in their private life usually suffer consequences with their employer.
Besides alcohol, officers also got in trouble for the consumption of drugs. A total of 31 punishments were handed down for these offences. The data does reveal what type of drugs police officers had used, nor any specific details on concrete punishments.
