Berlin police disband protection unit at US embassy
According to Bild, the officers allegedly drank alcohol on duty. A police spokesperson confirmed disciplinary measures; the US embassy initially did not comment.
Archive image · Photo: Times / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
Berlin police have disbanded a protection unit deployed at the United States embassy in Berlin. "Disciplinary measures" have been initiated against the officers involved, a police spokesperson confirmed to the German Press Agency dpa. The Bild newspaper first reported the case. According to Bild, the German bodyguards allegedly drank alcohol while on duty at the embassy. Based on available information, police did not explicitly confirm that specific allegation; the misconduct is alleged.
It is not yet known how many officers are affected or how long the alleged misconduct lasted. There was initially no official statement from the US embassy. The officers concerned are presumed innocent until the disciplinary review is completed. Protecting diplomatic missions in the capital is among the tasks of the Berlin police.