Policewoman questioned data from online date

A high-ranking Viennese police officer is currently facing charges of abuse of official power before the Vienna Regional Court. The accusations she faces are as unusual as the occasion that led to her being charged.

An acquaintance on Facebook

In February 2022, the policewoman met a young man on Facebook. Numerous phone calls were made and photos and videos were exchanged. When they were due to meet in person for the first time, the officer decided to investigate her new acquaintance. To do so, she used all official information sources and systems – from the wanted persons service to the Schengen Information System and the Central Register of Residents. According to her own statement, she carried out these queries “out of curiosity”.

First meeting in the Museumsquartier

At the first meeting in Vienna’s Museumsquartier, she confronted the man with information about his previous convictions – she knew that he had already been in prison. The witness, who turned out to be her ex-boyfriend, confirmed this statement in court and added that the policewoman carries out such research on every new acquaintance.

Relationship problems and professional consequences

The ex-boyfriend described the resulting relationship as “unsettled and toxic.” According to the files, there was an incident of physical assault by him and a dangerous threat by her. The policewoman is said to have kept her service weapon on the dresser in the anteroom and threatened the witness: “Either I’ll shoot you at some point or I’ll shoot myself.”

Defense attorney Thomas Preisinger took up these details in the trial and questioned the witnesses about the service weapon. Photos show distinctive adhesive strips on the pistol that were used to identify plainclothes police officers – a feature that contradicted the witness’s statements.

The defense and the accusation of abuse of office

In court, the police officer denied all allegations. They carried out the searches in the systems purely for official purposes, as the man had offered her drugs in a phone call. She took this as a hint and acted accordingly. The witness vehemently denied ever having discussed drugs. He stressed that such a conversation had never taken place.

The witness also stated that during the relationship the policewoman had sent him a photo of an investigation file to his private phone.

Verdict

The jury, chaired by Judge Julia Matiasch, sentenced the police officer to eleven months’ suspended imprisonment for abuse of office and breach of official secrecy. “Her responsibility makes absolutely no sense to us,” the judge commented on the verdict. However, the officer was acquitted of the charge of making a dangerous threat. The verdict is not yet final.