Arnhem police officer to be prosecuted for detainee’s death following medication error
A police officer in Arnhem will be prosecuted for the death of a detainee, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) reported on Friday. The officer is accused of having given the wrong medication to the suspect, which the OM considers to be criminal negligence.
The National Criminal Investigation Department stated that the mistake directly contributed to the fatal outcome. The detainee was given the wrong medication at the police station on the Beekstraat. The officers attempted to resuscitate the man before he was urgently transported to the hospital. The man died as a result of the medical error on June 11, three days after the incident.
Two other police officers were initially considered suspects, but the OM has cleared them of all charges after conducting an investigation.
The OM has emphasized that no further details about the identity of the officer or the deceased detainee will be released before the actual court hearing, in order to protect the privacy of all those involved.
The police oversee the medical care of detainees in holding cells and detention facilities. While protocols for dispensing medication are in place, previous inspections have highlighted weaknesses in medication safety, particularly in how drugs are stored, issued, and recorded. A joint investigation by multiple inspectorates concluded that these safeguards are frequently insufficient.
