Rotterdam police launch investigation into sexist remarks by officers on WhatsApp

The Rotterdam police have launched an investigation into misogynistic and sexist remarks made by nine of their employees in a WhatsApp group targeting colleagues. This was announced on Thursday.

This decision was taken last week following reports of the WhatsApp group's existence to the team's leadership.

"We will not tolerate any form of transgressive behavior within our organization, which is why the Security, Integrity, and Complaints Department has been tasked to conduct a thorough investigation into this case," the police stated. The investigation aims to clarify the extent of each individual's involvement and contributions within the WhatsApp group.

The nine implicated police employees have been suspended “until more is clear,” the police stated.

There have been several instances of police wrongdoing on social media recently. In March, a video circulated on social media showing police officers making racist remarks in their time off-duty. As a result, six police officers were immediately suspended, and an investigation was launched into the remarks and their involvement.

In April, Dutch Police Union (NPB) President Jan Struijs emphasized that stricter measures need to be implemented to combat structural racism within the police force.