Police officers in arrest death told they could keep their jobs, whatever happened

Dutch police chief Gerard Bouman promised the five police officers involved in the death of an Aruban tourist last year that they would not lose their jobs over the death, the NRC said on Friday.

Bouman made the pledge during a meeting with the officers concerned, according to confidential correspondence in the hands of the paper. Mitch Henriquez died in hospital after a violent arrest, in which he was put in a choke hold.

The paper bases its claim on an email written by Delft police chief Ronald Kruijswijk, reporting on a meeting between himself, the five officers and Bouman, some three months after Henriquez died. All five were at that point considered suspects by the public prosecution department.

‘Bouwman showed himself to be very involved,’ Kruijswijk wrote. ‘He made concrete promises to the officers during the meeting.’

This included handing back the five their police passes immediately – giving them access to the police station and the gym. The ‘financial effects of their suspension would also be reversed’ and they were given a ‘guarantee they would keep their jobs, whatever happened.’

Bouman, who left as police chief two weeks after the meeting, declined to comment on the reports, the NRC said.

The police have confirmed that the five officers were paid their full salary with back pay and given access to the police station last year.

Charges

Last month the public prosecution department said two of the five officers should face charges of assault and manslaughter.

An official police report on the death, published immediately after the leaked email on Friday, said that four of the five officers were in serious breach of their duties and will remain suspended. The fifth officer will be found a new job within the force.