Police officers call for clear guidance after two colleagues convicted of unlawful detention
The CFPA calls for a review of procedures that raise legal concerns and regular meetings between police management, the judiciary and prosecutors
The Col·lectiu de Funcionaris de la Policia d’Andorra (CFPA), an Andorran police union, is calling for clear operational guidance following the conviction of two officers for unlawful detention.
According to RTVA, the union is concerned about differing interpretations of certain procedures and wants any changes communicated clearly and immediately to officers.
The union expresses respect for judicial independence and the country’s institutions but believes the ruling should prompt a review of practices that may raise legal concerns and strengthen communication between police management and judicial authorities.
Concerns over the guidance given to officers
The Tribunal de Corts sentenced both officers to 19 and a half months in prison, suspended, and a one-year ban on exercising public duties.
The case dates back to December 2020, when they took a woman wearing pyjamas to police premises following an incident in a privately owned car park open to the public in Andorra la Vella.
The CFPA maintains that the officers followed established working practices within the force. This is the union’s position on conduct that the court found constituted unlawful detention.
Its concerns centre on the guidance, procedures and safeguards under which officers have carried out certain interventions for years. It therefore wants potential differences in legal interpretation to be identified and resolved, with unambiguous instructions provided to officers.
Regular meetings to clarify procedures
The union proposes establishing permanent communication channels between police management, the Batllia—Andorra’s first-instance judicial authority—and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, with regular meetings to review procedures that may give rise to differing legal interpretations.
The aim is to identify disagreements and communicate any changes to officers clearly and immediately. The CFPA wants this case to mark a turning point in how police operational guidelines are reviewed and communicated.
