Police officer in Greifswald: downgrade decided after data misuse!

Police officer in Greifswald: downgrade decided after data misuse!

A verdict was passed in the Greifswald Administrative Court on June 27, 2025, which has far-reaching consequences for a 53-year-old police officer from Greifswald. The officer was accused of unauthorizedly requesting personal data from police databases. Despite the serious accusation, the court decided that the police officer could continue to work. This represents a remarkable conclusion to a process that had already been underway for some time. However, the police officer is demoted to a lower rank, which also affects his salary.

The decision results in a demotion from police chief to police master, which puts him in grade A7 instead of remaining in the previous grade A8. In addition, a three-year ban on promotion was imposed, which significantly limits his career opportunities. The demotion is the second most severe measure under the state disciplinary law and illustrates the seriousness of the allegations made against him. Again NDR reported, the case is just one of many that shows how rigorous action can be taken against misconduct in the public service.

Disciplinary procedures and official duties

Disciplinary proceedings are formal procedures in the public service that are initiated when misconduct is suspected. The aim is to investigate violations of official duties and take appropriate measures. Depending on the severity of the offense, these range from a written reprimand to dismissal. The Civil Service Advisor Lexikon explains that when assessing misconduct, the normal failings of an average officer are always used as a benchmark. Deficiencies that clearly exceed normal failure must exist to justify disciplinary action.

In the context of another case involving a senior criminal inspector who came from the A-city police station, there were also serious allegations of lack of care and misconduct towards colleagues. Despite the allegations made, the court was later able to determine that there had been no misconduct. The plaintiff successfully pointed out overwork and requested that disciplinary proceedings be initiated due to unprocessed criminal complaints. The court ultimately overturned the dismissal order, which shows how fragile situations can be for civil servants. More details can be found on OpenJur.

Such procedures not only highlight the challenges that civil servants face in their everyday work, but also the strict demands placed on their official duties. It is of great importance to understand the rights and options of civil servants in such disciplinary proceedings. The Civil Service Advisor offer a variety of approaches and defense strategies to assist officers in this difficult situation.