Public prosecutor Jakob Schmidkonz is a friend of clear words. His authority is currently investigating the “largest drug scandal involving the Munich police”. In the old town guard alone, around ten officials are currently suspended from duty on account of corresponding allegations. “And you run through a park as a policeman for the old town guard, smoking pot in public?” He snaps at the accused. “That is a manifestation of audacity!” The joint in the Blutenburger Schlosspark and 15 grams of marijuana at home cost the 24-year-old police officer at the end of the Munich district court 2,100 euros. It remains to be seen what conclusions the Munich police headquarters will draw from the conviction of the currently suspended officer.
Defense attorney Gregor Rose tried to explain that his client had “had a bad phase” at the time. In this bad phase, the man walked in the darkness of a March evening this year through the green area of the Blutenburg Castle Park. A civil patrol came to meet him – and a sweet smell wafted around the noses of the officers. They checked the stroller who was holding a joint. “He immediately said that he was a police officer and that he still had marijuana at home,” said the defense attorney, adding the “excessive confession” of the police chief in court.
In fact, the colleagues found 15 grams of marijuana in the apartment. The then 23-year-old received a complaint for possession of narcotics, the public prosecutor sent him a penalty order with 60 daily rates of 70 euros each. And the police headquarters immediately suspended the old town guard from duty, with full pay. The police officer appealed against the penalty order, so it came to a hearing in the district court on Tuesday.
“We cannot and will not let a policeman get away with that.”
Judge Melanie Piesker made no secret of what she thought of the policeman smoking weed in the park: “Strolling around openly with a joint when other people see you and maybe also know you as a policeman, that’s bold and conveys a bad image to the outside world. ” Even if the use of marijuana is soon to be legalized, “even then, I cannot imagine that your employer will be happy to see you walking around in public smoking pot”. That would not do justice to the role model function. And public prosecutor Jakob Schmidkonz also said that as a police officer and weapon bearer he had special rights, but also special duties. Extensive investigations are currently underway against police officers, whose apartments have been searched, at the old town guard. Although it was not possible to establish any connections to the so-called Soko Nightlife, even against this background, walking through a public park with drugs “we cannot and will not let a police officer get away with that,” said the prosecutor.
The suspended officer said he had personal and health problems at the time, including a death in the family. But he then went into inpatient therapy for two months and underwent voluntary drug tests. He had only passed the test for employment in the police service on the second attempt. “I hope,” says judge Piesker at the end, “that you haven’t blocked everything with it.”