Traffic police officer fired after driving drunk on day off

A senior constable in Finland’s Central Finland Police Department has been dismissed following a conviction for aggravated drunk driving, Yle reports.

The officer, a 41-year-old traffic police officer responsible for traffic enforcement and road safety work, was sentenced in early June by Pirkanmaa District Court to a 60-day suspended prison term and additional fines.

The incident occurred in January when police stopped the officer on Aitoniementie in Tampere on a Saturday evening. He was off duty but heavily intoxicated, with a blood alcohol level of 2.2 per mille—nearly double the 1.2 per mille threshold for aggravated drunk driving in Finland.

The officer admitted guilt but argued in court that his extreme intoxication resulted from a three-week low-calorie diet and a day of fasting, which he claimed impaired his body’s ability to process alcohol. He also cited dehydration. The court acknowledged the dietary impact but ruled that the officer should have been aware of how it affected his tolerance.

Central Finland Police terminated his employment at the end of June, noting that his role in traffic enforcement made the offense particularly serious. The officer had previously maintained a long and unblemished record.