Photo: Elsa Paakkinen / Lehtikuva
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A senior police officer in western Finland has been suspended from duty following allegations of leaking classified information over several years, according to the Pohjanmaa Police Department. The case has been described as serious and exceptional in nature.
The officer, a senior constable stationed in Seinäjoki, is suspected of offences including breach of official secrecy, violation of official duties, and a data protection crime. The offences are believed to have occurred between late 2021 and early 2025.
He was suspended earlier this spring when the investigation began. The decision to remove him from his post was taken rapidly due to the nature of the suspicions. According to the department, even short-term continued employment could have caused “significant harm to public safety.”
“This kind of suspension is not taken lightly. A person is not removed from duty during a pre-trial investigation unless the case is serious,” said Jarkko Lehtinen, Police Chief of the Pohjanmaa Police Department.
The officer had served at several police departments in Finland and previously worked as a guard in the Criminal Sanctions Agency. He graduated from the police academy more than ten years ago.
A second individual, not affiliated with the police, is suspected of encouraging the officer to commit the crimes. This person is being investigated for incitement to breach official secrecy and incitement to a data protection offence.
Authorities have not disclosed the nature of the leaked information or who may have received it.
“Because the investigation is still ongoing, I cannot provide further details at this stage,” said Petri Vaaja, lead investigator and regional prosecutor with the Office of the Prosecutor General’s police crime unit.
According to court documents reviewed by Helsingin Sanomat, the police believe there are sufficient grounds to suspect a crime has taken place. The alleged offences have raised questions about the officer’s fitness to carry out official duties.
The suspension process, which normally allows for up to two weeks of preparation, was accelerated. Due to the urgency and potential threat to public safety, the decision could have been made without hearing the officer’s defence. In this case, the officer was present for questioning and gave a response, though the police said it had little influence on the outcome.
Vaaja estimates the investigation will continue for several more months.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
