Former Alkmaar police officer sentenced to 18 months in prison for leaking police data

A former police officer from Alkmaar was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Tuesday for leaking information from police systems. Fouad El A., a 36-year-old who used to work as a dog handler for the Amsterdam police, leaked the information upon request from his brother, who was sentenced to 5.5 years in jail by the court.

The officer searched for license plates and information about people in exchange for payment. He used his colleague’s accounts to do so, without their knowledge. He also shared information about ongoing police investigations with his brother, who then passed on the information to criminals. These events occurred between September 2022 and mid-April 2024.

The court gave him a lower sentence than the recommendation from the prosecutors, which was 3.5 years. This is due to it being El A.’s first offense, but also because the case has already had significant consequences for his personal life. “And that it is conceivable that the consequences of the facts weigh heavily on him,” the judgment stated.

During the hearing in late June, the former officer said that he was under significant pressure from criminals during the incidents. According to the court, no evidence was found to suggest this.

The suspects came into focus when leaked police information surfaced during a separate investigation. Fouad el A. was arrested in June of last year.

The 27-year-old brother was involved in dealing drugs and pharmaceuticals together with a 22-year-old man. They were also guilty of money laundering, the court ruled.

The younger of the two was also convicted of possession of an automatic weapon. He entered into a plea agreement and was sentenced to five years in prison.