Police president rejects systemic racism claims in wake of Lausanne scandal

“Not all police officers deserve to be pilloried,” said Emmanuel Fivaz in an interview with Le Matin Dimanche. The president of the Swiss Federation of Police Officers (FSFP) was interviewed in the wake of the scandal over discriminatory Whatsapp messages sent by police officers. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox According to Fivaz, “racist, sexist or anti-Semitic behaviour is unacceptable within the police force”. However, the President of the FSFP adds a nuance: “I do see a difference between comments that fall within the scope of the law, or of administrative measures, and a debriefing after an intervention over a drink at the end of a shift, in a purely private setting”, he explains. Without denying the unacceptable nature of the words and images that were presented to the press at the beginning of the week, he believes that the complexity of the police profession requires a place where people can speak out. Fivaz points to misdirected loyalty rather ...