The Helsinki Police Department has decided to fire a senior detective who worked under corrupt ex-cop Jari Aarnio when he was in charge of the unit's narcotics unit. The detective, who was widely referred to as Aarnio's "right hand man", was suspended from police duties while he awaited trial.
A Finnish appeal court found the detective guilty of four counts of official misconduct and one instance of violating state secrets in May. The sentence was part of the court ruling associated with Aarnio's trial for a number of criminal offences.
Helsinki deputy police chief Heikki Kopperoinen said that as a rule, police officers should enjoy the trust and respect of the public and fellow authorities.
"The police department sees the senior detective's behaviour to have endangered confidence in the proper conduct of police duties," he said in a bulletin.
"Completely unbelievable" statements
The appeals court ruled that the detective had violated his office by granting unjustified television surveillance licenses to a district court. The convicted man had given the district court false information in a particularly sensitive matter. The court's ruling in the case is final.
The court said the ruling was also influenced by several "completely unbelievable" statements the defendant made that were "incompatible with the evidence".
"The employer assesses trust by weighing all the known facts, and in this case, there is a clear loss of confidence," Kopperoinen said.
The court rejected a call by the prosecution to discharge the detective, but Kopperoinen said the department still has a right to fire an employee if it is considered necessary.
"Dismissal is a criminal penalty. The court's decision does not influence what the employer chooses to do. The employer has a right to size up the situation and assess the official's suitability for the job," he said.