Police in West Flanders are allegedly and arbitrarily looking into personal police files, including their own and even those of new female colleagues, an investigation reveals. A prosecutor is taking action for the ten most severe cases, but the problem reportedly goes much further, reports De Standaard.
The issue has come to light since 2009 after 918 police officers looked into the file of a deceased singer – when the officers were not connected to the case making their searches therefore illegal. Years later, such searches still take place. Earlier this month, a police officer from Antwerp was convicted after searching for vulnerable women in police databases. He would approach them and ask for sex in exchange for help.
The Police Information Control Body (COC) has looked into the case and found several infringements. The most notable issue was that agents failed to detail a sufficient reason to search through databases with sensitive information about citizens. But the COC noticed agents only typed in reasons for 1.8% of cases, but the reason was still unclear even when they did.
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Moreover, police officers often look at their colleagues' files without an adequate reason. Log files showed that 84% of staff had their name looked up by a colleague.
There is an "important and alarming blurring of norms" which "could lead to mutual distrust and disrupted functioning of the police zone," the COC concluded in its audit of West Flanders police.
Although the COC saw goodwill from the police to tackle the issues, especially as such cases can undermine citizen trust in police.
Anyone who suspects that they have been the subject of an unjustified search can file a complaint with the COC.
