Sweden: Relationship with a criminal constitutes legal grounds for dismissal of a police officer

The Swedish Police Authority conducted a security check of a police officer. Following the negative outcome of the security check, it was decided that the police officer could not be placed in a security-classified position and she was therefore dismissed. The dismissal was said to be justified by the fact that the police officer had a relationship with a man who had been sentenced to a two and half year imprisonment, as well as the officer’s actions in connection with that same man’s criminal processes. The police officer had been involved in the criminal process and e.g. acted as the criminal’s representative, and searched for material evidence in favour of the man. The Labour Court found that the outcome of the security check itself did not constitute legal grounds for dismissal of the police officer. However, the circumstances related to the negative outcome, such as the officer’s relationship with a man who had a criminal record, did constitute objective grounds for dismissal of the police officer. The Labour Court therefore denied the claim of annulment of the termination brought forward by the Swedish Police Union.