How to complain and claim compensation in the case of physical or verbal abuse by the police?
Complaint
The police must not deliberately abuse you while escorting you to the mental health care institution. For example, they must not use derogatory language towards you, handle you roughly or otherwise physically abuse you. If you believe that such mistreatment has happened in your case, you have the right to complain.
How to submit a complaint?
To complain about the behaviour of a police officer, you should submit a complaint to his/her direct supervisor. The police will either examine your submission and might ask you for additional explanations or documentation, if necessary. You may also submit a complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office
You can submit your complaint to the police online on the website of the police.
You can read more about how to submit a complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office and download forms from the website of the Prosecutor’s Office.
You have the right to receive a response in writing to your application within one month.
Compensation
If you have suffered damages as a result of the behaviour of a police officer, you have the right to compensation. You can seek compensation for both – material losses and moral damages.
You should first submit the complaint about your mistreatment to the supervisor of the police officers responsible for the mistreatment. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to handle the complaint further and forward it to other institutions if necessary.
Criminal offence
It is possible, that criminal proceedings will be started against the members of the police involved on the basis of your complaint. In this case you should seek compensation for damages as a victim in the criminal proceedings. If the compensation claim within the criminal proceedings cannot, or cannot fully, redress your damages, you have the further right to seek damages by filing a civil claim.
Disciplinary violation
There may also be situations where the actions of the members of the police will not qualify as a criminal offence. However, there may still be a violation that qualifies as a disciplinary violation. In this case, you should submit the claim for compensation to the police department that you complained to.