Two police officers have been suspended from duty after videos were published showing them during an intervention at a protest in Tirana, where according to the State Police they exceeded their duty and the principle of proportionality. The move came only after the footage was made public on social media, raising fresh questions about how the use of force is monitored on the ground.
Suspension after the footage was published
According to the official announcement, the order for the immediate suspension was given by the Director General of the State Police, Skënder Hita, after the release of videos showing two police employees during the intervention at the gathering held in Tirana.
At the center of the response is footage that, according to the police themselves, shows an overstepping of duty and a violation of the principle of proportionality toward the young people involved in the protest.
Who are the suspended officers
The police said the officers are inspectors with the initials E. P. and T. Ç., both serving in the General Patrol Unit at Police Commissariat No. 3 in Tirana.
Their identities have not been made public beyond their initials, while the administrative measure taken so far is suspension from duty.
Disciplinary investigation also launched
Alongside the suspension, the launch of a disciplinary investigation by the Directorate of Professional Standards has also been ordered. This process is expected to verify the circumstances of the intervention and the individual responsibility of each officer.
At this stage, the authorities have not provided further details on the nature of the actions carried out on the ground, beyond stating that proportionality was breached during the intervention.
Official reaction and the questions that remain
The State Police says it will not tolerate cases of violence or overstepping of duty by its employees and that responsibility is individual.
However, the fact that the response came after the videos were published on social media once again raises questions about internal control mechanisms and the institution’s ability to identify abuses in time during the management of protests.
In its statement, the police acknowledge that such actions seriously damage the institution’s image and citizens’ trust.
Beyond the suspension and the disciplinary investigation, it remains to be seen whether the case will result in concrete accountability or be closed with only an administrative response after public pressure.