‘민원 취소 강요’ 39차례, 순찰 중 ‘스케치북 고백’…“경찰관 강등 정당”

A Supreme Court ruling declared that a police officer's demotion was justified due to inappropriate behavior. The officer, identified as ㄱ씨, had contacted a civilian 39 times regarding a canceled request, and repeatedly confessed romantic feelings to a cafe owner during duty. The lower court dismissed ㄱ씨's appeal, but the second court overturned the demotion.

The second court acknowledged some disciplinary reasons but deemed the severity of the misconduct insufficient for such a severe punishment. The Supreme Court, however, reversed the decision, stating that despite certain disciplinary actions not being recognized, the demotion was appropriate. The court noted that ㄱ씨's repeated contact with the civilian to cancel the request, as well as his confession of romantic feelings outside a cafe, caused significant psychological distress to the affected individuals and potentially undermined public trust in the police force.