Police officer – €500 Fine (Germany, 2023)
General GDPR enforcement action
This case relates to broader data protection obligations, not specifically to cookie or consent banner compliance. It is not included in cookie statistics or the Risk Calculator.
A police officer was fined for using a complainant's phone number to contact them for personal reasons. This ruling highlights that even law enforcement must follow privacy rules when handling personal information. It serves as a reminder to all public servants to respect individuals' privacy rights.
What happened
A police officer used a complainant's phone number for private contacts instead of only for official purposes.
Who was affected
The individual who filed a criminal complaint and had their phone number used without consent.
What the authority found
The DPA found that the police officer violated privacy rules by misusing personal information for non-official contact.
Why this matters
This case illustrates that privacy laws apply to all professionals, including police officers. Public servants should be cautious about how they use personal information to avoid legal consequences.
The DPA of Brandenburg has imposed a three-figure fine on a police officer. The police officer had used the telephone number of a person who had filed a criminal complaint for private contacts, although such contact was only intended for the purpose of obtaining further evidence.
Related Enforcement Actions (6)
Other enforcement actions involving Police officer in DE
Fine
€500
Details
Fine Date
1 January 2023
Authority
Bundesbeauftragter für den Datenschutz
Fine Amount
€500
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. Police officer - Germany (2023). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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