Swedish Supreme Court Acquits Police Officers for Misconduct in Domestic Violence Reporting Case

The Supreme Court of Sweden has acquitted two police officers charged with misconduct for failing to report a domestic violence incident that occurred in June 2022 in Halmstad. The incident involved a woman biting a man, who chose not to file charges. The officers did not report the assault, leading to their prosecution for neglecting their duty.

The prosecution argued that the officers failed to uphold their responsibility to report the incident, while the police maintained the act constituted harassment, which does not require mandatory reporting. The District Court found the officers had neglected their duty but ruled the offense to be minor and non-punishable. The Court of Appeal, however, convicted the officers, deeming their neglect intentional and serious due to the case's domestic violence context.

Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruled that although the officers acted negligently, the offense's minor nature exempted it from punishment, resulting in their acquittal. This ruling underscores legal distinctions in police duties regarding domestic violence reporting, emphasizing the threshold at which misconduct charges apply.

This case highlights judicial balancing between enforcing police responsibilities and acknowledging the specifics of the incident, including the victim's choice not to press charges.