High police officials charged for improper data entry

Several high level police officers were charged with negligence of duty on Tuesday.

According to the charges, the Helsinki police had not registered the sources of criminal investigations in 2008-2013 as prescribed by the law. The high echelon officers had neglected their duty to supervise the operations.

The prosecution claimed that the then national police commissioner Mikko Paatero had already in 2009 known about the problems in registering the sources at the Helsinki drug squad. Finnish law requires that police sources are registered for any need of later review.

The prosecution demanded on Tuesday suspended prison sentences or large fines on Paatero and also on the former head of Helsinki police Jukka Riikonen and the current head Lasse Aapio.

Despite the negative publicity involving the Helsinki police for several years now, Finnish Ministry of the Interior conducted a survey which said the trust of the people in the police force has remained high.

In June, 95 percent of the interviewees said they trust the police highly, particularly in the conduct of basic police duties such as responding to urgent calls, intervening in domestic violence and combating terrorism. However, 40 percent of the respondents said corruption and unethical actions are likely in the police force.

The suspicion of the ethical qualities of the police force has started increasing in 2012. The police survey is carried out every two years.