Polish prosecutors charge two Szczecin police officers over alleged vigilante assault

Criminal charges against Szczecin officers

The District Prosecutor's Office in Szczecin has conducted an inquiry for nearly ten months into two police officers stationed at the Szczecin-Pogodno precinct. Prosecutors officially charged both officers in June 2026 following accusations that they carried out vigilante violence against a detainee in their custody. District Prosecutor Julia Szozda confirmed that the criminal investigation centers on Article 231 of the Polish Penal Code, governing the abuse of power by public officials, along with other legal provisions. Sources familiar with the case indicate that the additional accusations fall under Article 197, which covers rape and the coercion of an individual into sexual acts.

The allegations originate from an August 2024 case in which police arrested a man for brutally raping a nine-month-old infant. The child was hospitalized with severe physical injuries after her mother returned home and discovered the abuse inflicted by her partner. The perpetrator was subsequently convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Following his initial arrest, the two officers allegedly abused him inside the precinct, using a standard-issue service baton to commit sexual assault. The precinct commander suspended both officers from duty, while the Police Internal Affairs Bureau launched a separate, confidential administrative inquiry.

Judicial review and defense claims

The criminal proceedings led to conflicting rulings across three separate judicial panels regarding pre-trial measures. A district court initially rejected the prosecution's motion for temporary detention, noting that claims made by a convicted felon required heightened caution. The prosecutor's office appealed that refusal to the regional court, where a second judicial panel granted the motion and ordered the officers into custody. Defense counsel then lodged a subsequent complaint, leading a third panel within the regional court to overturn the detention order and release the officers under police supervision.

The prosecution built its case on testimony from the convicted inmate and statements from a former female officer from the Szczecin-Pogodno station who reported hearing unusual noises during the detention. Defense attorney Radosław Flasza denied the charges, asserting that the allegations rely entirely on a convicted criminal who lacks credibility.

My clients are victims of slander.

Reaction from the Interior Ministry

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński addressed the case, stating that Polish law enforcement officers must operate within legal boundaries regardless of the severity of a suspect's crimes. Kierwiński indicated that criminal acts must be punished through official judicial sentencing rather than vigilantism within police stations.

There will be no consent to any breaking of the law by officers. I will stand firmly behind police officers, all services that report to me, but everything must take place in accordance with the law.

Kierwiński noted that any breach of internal procedures or statutory rules would result in direct consequences for the personnel involved. He emphasized that although convicted offenders must face severe penalties under the law, police officers are required to uphold statutory rules. Under Article 231 of the Penal Code alone, the suspended officers face potential prison sentences of up to three years if convicted in court.