Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - The inspector of the Baden-Württemberg police, who was suspended from duty and accused of sexually assaulting an officer, has suffered another legal defeat. His appeal against the decision of the public prosecutor's office to drop the investigation against the officer for secretly tapping a telephone conversation was rejected by the public prosecutor's office. This was reported by the "Stuttgarter Zeitung" (Tuesday), citing a spokesman for the authorities.
According to the investigation, the inspector is said to have sexually harassed the police officer in Stuttgart more than a year ago. This is said to have recorded parts of a video call during which the inspector is said to have made the statements in question.
The Attorney General's Office is now relying on the investigators' view that the recording lacks sufficient suspicion of a violation of the confidentiality of the word. The Stuttgart public prosecutor argued that the young officer did not act illegally due to a "justifiable state of emergency". The recording of the conversation with the inspector was appropriate and proportionate to ward off the "continued risk" of being pressured into a sexual relationship by the chief police officer. She countered this by initiating criminal and disciplinary proceedings.
The criminal trial of the suspended top police officer who denies the allegations begins on April 21. The Stuttgart Regional Court initially scheduled eight days of negotiations for this. Originally, the inspector's lawyer had assumed that, given the evidence, no charges would be brought. The officer will take part in the proceedings as a joint plaintiff.
Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) has also been under pressure because of the matter for a long time - according to his own statements, he had passed on a letter from the inspector's lawyer to a journalist. A committee of inquiry in the state parliament sheds light on sexual harassment by the police, as well as the practice of promotion and Strobl's actions.
