Were there misconduct within the Winterthur city police? A renowned law firm is to clarify the incidents in terms of supervisory law.
The working atmosphere at the Winterthur city police is said to be burdened.
Within a few months, two members of the Winterthur city police committed suicide. One of the police officers committed suicide in July 2021, the second in February this year. The two long-time employees had worked in the same department. After the incidents, some sharp criticism of the leadership of the corps flared up. There was talk of a problematic working atmosphere and deficits in the management culture.
Politicians were also startled by the events. On Wednesday, the Winterthur city council decided to have the facts surrounding the two suicides clarified by supervisory authorities. As part of the administrative investigation, organizational, management-related and personnel-related issues are to be clarified, according to a statement from the city council.
“The city council wants clarity”
The request for this came from Head of Security Katrin Cometta (GLP). According to the city council’s plan, the results of the investigation should be available by summer. “The city council wants clarity about what is happening with the city police,” says Cometta on request. All open questions about the incidents must now be carefully clarified. The scope of the administrative investigation must now be shown.
Cometta also depends on the course of events as to whether the incidents have consequences on a personal level. It is important that the investigation is started immediately, says the green-liberal city councilwoman. And she states: “The principles of the presumption of innocence and the protection of personality continue to apply to all those affected.”
The law firm Rudin Cantieni Rechtsanwälte AG will carry out the investigation. The law firm has dealt with sensitive cases on several occasions. Among other things, the investigation report on the allegations of abuse in gymnastics came from her. Cometta also says that the commissioned law firm has a lot of experience and also has the necessary capacities to take on such a task immediately.
After the second suicide, the “Blick” and the Tamedia newspapers had one thing in common Letter from the City of Winterthur Police Officers Association quoted, according to which “many colleagues see the blame in the management culture and in the behavior of individual people”. However, it is not clear whether there is actually such a connection. The Police Officers’ Association also stated in a media release that “many questions were unresolved”.
Cornel Borbély, President of the Winterthur Police Officers Association (PBV), now writes on request that it is welcomed that the city council has decided to investigate the tragic events. “We demand that this investigation be carried out completely and efficiently. The results must be made transparent.”
Parliamentarians do not want to comment anymore for the time being
The parliamentary group presidents of all Winterthur parties in Parliament felt compelled to take an extraordinary step on Wednesday. In a statement, the intergroup conference of the city parliament stated that it was “now primarily about people and not about politics”. The suffering and tragedy for those affected cannot be put into words.
The ultimate goal must be to prevent even more suffering. For the time being, one will therefore no longer comment on the events in the corps of the city police and the group members will be urged to do the same.
The parliamentary group presidents of the SP, SVP, FDP, GLP, Greens/AL, EDU and EVP also write that they would welcome the administrative investigation commissioned by the city council. It needs a quick, comprehensive and transparent review.
It is still unclear whether and how Parliament will take action on the matter. The parliamentary group presidents say that it has not yet been decided in what form this reappraisal should take place. The results of the administrative investigation will be carefully studied. Only then can Parliament make an assessment.
Get help here
If you are having suicidal thoughts or know someone who needs support, please contact the counselors at Offered hand. You can reach them confidentially and 24 hours a day by calling 143. Special help for children and young people is available by dialing 147.