Four police officers get disciplinary action for offensive social media posts

Four police officers in the central Netherlands are under scrutiny for inappropriate statements made on social media platform X, with two of them receiving disciplinary action, according to Dutch police. The remarks, which date back to late 2023, have been described as “unprofessional, discriminatory, and racist” in nature by the police department’s Integrity, Security, and Complaints (VIK) division. These comments were posted as reactions to news articles on the platform, police said. "The content is so severe that I would rather not repeat it," police spokesperson said.

One officer has been handed a conditional dismissal for what has been deemed “serious misconduct,” the department said. A second officer, who made offensive but not explicitly racist remarks, will face a partial salary deduction as punishment.

Two other officers were also investigated for their online behavior. One has been cleared of wrongdoing following a specialized assessment that determined his actions could not be attributed to him. Discussions are ongoing to determine how and where he will return to duty. A fourth officer’s actions remain under review, with an internal investigation recently concluding.

“Colleagues who make offensive and inappropriate remarks—many of which are discriminatory or racist in nature—do not belong in our organization. This applies even when these remarks are made in their personal time. It is unacceptable," said Yvonne Hondema, police chief for the Central Netherlands region.

"Beyond the personal responsibility of these individuals, it is important that we as an organization take responsibility, learn from these incidents, and ensure this doesn’t happen again. Of course, we must also take into account the impact on the officers involved, but just as importantly, we must consider the dignity of colleagues and members of society who have been affected by this behavior,” Yvonne Hondema added.

The proposed disciplinary actions were reviewed in May 2024 by the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights and Police Functions (AGFA Police), but the final outcomes of that review remain pending.