Police Again Under Fire Following Serious Case of Group Rape in Aarhus
The police in Aarhus, Denmark, are facing criticism once again, this time concerning their handling of information related to a group rape case. The scrutiny is not directed at the investigation itself but rather at how the ethnicity of the suspects was communicated to the public. Østjyllands Politi (East Jutland Police) has admitted it was a mistake when a duty officer disclosed that the three suspects were not ethnically Danish.
This situation has led to political demands for action from Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard of the Social Democrats (Socialdemokratiet). Peter Kofod, the legal spokesperson for the Danish People’s Party (Dansk Folkeparti), asserts that the minister needs to take control of the National Police (Rigspolitiet). “There are too many poor excuses. It is time for the minister to intervene,” he stated.
Betina Kastbjerg from the Denmark Democrats (Danmarksdemokraterne) supports Kofod’s statement and adds, “If there are regulations preventing the police from disclosing ethnicity, then Hummelgaard should ensure they are removed.”
Last week, the newspaper B.T. reported that the National Police has instructed local police districts not to disclose ethnicity as a general rule. The rationale, according to the National Police, is the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) guidelines, which they claim hinder such disclosures. However, this explanation has faced significant backlash, with numerous experts questioning the legality and appropriateness of the National Police’s stance.
Kofod has dismissed the explanation, calling it a poor excuse. He believes that citizens should be able to trust the information provided by the police. Kastbjerg shares this viewpoint, finding the GDPR explanation insufficient. She argues that ethnicity should be disclosed in serious crimes such as group rape, as it is in the public’s interest to have access to this information.
In response to the criticisms, Minister Hummelgaard has stated to B.T. that he generally supports open communication from the police. However, he has yet to provide a clear response regarding potential changes to the National Police’s guidelines.
The National Police has also addressed the criticism, maintaining that current legislation precludes them from disclosing ethnicity unless it is essential to the case. They refer to both the personal data act and GDPR to justify their practice. Additional comments from the National Police have not been available.