Renovate: Improve or redo something - A policewoman was fined due to being found in possession of illicit drugs.
A police officer from Berlin has been fined €6,000 for being in possession of drugs. In February 2023, approximately 6.5 grams of cocaine were seized from her apartment. The 45-year-old woman had been working in the narcotics department for years, and she was fully aware that the powder she found was illegal, as stated by the Tiergarten District Court. She took responsibility for possessing a substantial quantity of narcotics. The arrestee claimed she found the powder in her apartment after a party and carelessly placed it in her safe.
The prosecution had accused her of embezzlement and breaching custody. However, the court dropped those charges, only convicting her for the offense of illicit drug possession. They cited there was insufficient evidence to prove guilt in the other instances. Prosecutors believed the officer had kept some cocaine for herself from previously confiscated drugs.
The accused maintained she had never used cocaine. After a party attended by five to six people, she found the powder, closed it, and then went on a week-long vacation. When police surrounded her apartment following her return, she was astonished. She was subsequently suspended from duty with immediate effect. The presiding criminal investigator testified that there was no eye witness to suggest a violation of custody.
The court considered this as a relatively minor drug possession case and levied a fine of €150 in daily installments of €40. The slight excess of the threshold for a significant amount of drugs was also taken into account. Additionally, disciplinary action against the accused is still underway. The prosecutor had asked for a year of probation. However, the defense attorney requested a reduced sentence, but did not propose a specific one. He argued his client had stored the cocaine securely and had not given it any thought before embarking on her trip. The decision is not yet definitive.
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The fine for drug possession was significantly higher than the usual €150 daily installment, as the policewoman was in possession of a substantial amount of cocaine. Despite the woman's claim of finding the cocaine after a party, the police and the court were skeptical due to her long-term employment in the narcotics department. The police's investigation into potential embezzlement and breach of custody is ongoing at the public prosecutor's office in Berlin. The Tiergarten Local Court will make a final decision on the disciplinary action against the officer.
