Processes - Violence on duty: police officer sentenced to probation
A Berlin police officer has been sentenced to ten months probation after kicking a man who was already lying on the ground in the head. On Monday, the Tiergarten district court found the 32-year-old guilty of assault in the line of duty and dangerous bodily harm. The officer was also ordered to pay 600 euros in compensation to the 22-year-old man affected.
When the accused kicked the suspect's head, there was no further attack on him, according to the verdict. It had happened without an official reason.
Other police officers had started the proceedings against their colleague. Through his lawyer, the accused explained that he had been in an exceptional situation after being hit hard in the face and had "overreacted". He was sorry.
The 32-year-old was on duty with a colleague in May 2023 when they wanted to check a suspicious passer-by in Berlin-Dahlem because of damage to a vehicle. The 22-year-old had refused to give his personal details, the trial heard. A scuffle and blows had ensued. Other police officers arrived and pinned the 22-year-old to the ground. The accused, who was wearing combat boots, "deliberately" kicked the head of the man lying on the ground, according to the prosecution. The victim suffered a bruise and pain.
The defendant said that when other officers arrived, he tried to assist and kick the man's shoulder despite a bleeding nose and pain in his hands. A 36-year-old officer said as a witness that the kick was a shock for him and other colleagues.
The 22-year-old is said to have smashed a car window. During the trial, he said that he had not been feeling well at the time due to personal blows. He had wanted to gather himself emotionally before talking to the police officers. "One of them was then very close to me." An argument ensued. He was very scared.
The public prosecutor had demanded a one-year suspended sentence. The defense lawyer pleaded for a lesser sentence, but did not make a specific request. The verdict is not yet final.
Read also:
- The Berlin Tiergarten district court, where the proceedings took place, is known for handling serious cases of criminality, such as the one involving the police officer.
- The police officer's actions, including the dangerous bodily harm inflicted through the kick, are a stark example of how processes within the justice system aim to maintain peace and order in the city of Berlin.
- Following the verdict, the police department may need to conduct a thorough review of their training programs to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the Tiergarten district court or elsewhere in Berlin, focusing on de-escalation techniques during instances of criminality or violence on duty.
Source: www.stern.de
