Justice
A former Brussels police commissioner has been sentenced to six months in prison with conditions suspended for anti-Semitic and misogynistic harassment at work.
The man was commissioner of the dog brigade at the South police zone (Anderlecht, Sint-Gillis and Vorst). The case came to light in 2018, when a female colleague went to the Belgian League against Anti-Semitism for harassment at work. A criminal complaint followed against her manager and ultimately a criminal trial.
According to the court, it has been established that the former police commissioner was guilty of anti-Semitic bullying and unwanted sexual behavior. Although the man strongly denied this, the court strongly criticized the playing of Nazi music “for real men” in the presence of Jewish inspectors. One of them was also repeatedly portrayed as stingy by the police commissioner, including during the training of a cash dog, a dog that can detect money.
In addition, the defendant also made several hurtful statements about one of his people who had lost her mother in a family tragedy. For example, the man called her “genetically predisposed” to use a firearm and, during a shooting exercise, he alluded to the death of her mother by urging her to “shoot in the head.”
“Increase work ethic”
During his trial, the former police chief denied bullying his subordinates. The man stated that he had only tried to increase the work ethic and that this was not to the liking of some members of the brigade. “They did everything they could to get me out of there because I wanted them to do their job well and work for their salary,” he said. “As the police, we have to answer to the public.”
According to the court, there is no dispute that the man had good intentions. “But we believe that it has been proven that there was indeed bullying behavior towards three subordinates,” he said during the reading of the verdict.
“The court has established that there was indeed a toxic atmosphere within the department, but you also took actions that contributed to this. You crossed the line in the way you addressed and treated some people.”
The court did not order the defendant to go to prison, but he was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended under conditions, and an effective fine of 8,000 euros. The three victims were each awarded compensation of 700 to 5,000 euros. Unia, the Interfederal Equal Opportunities Center, had also filed a civil suit and will receive symbolic compensation of 1 euro.
The former police commissioner, who has now taken early retirement, was too shaken to respond after the hearing. The man can still appeal against the verdict.
