The Chief of Police apologizes to Chief Superintendent Haeg Grostad

Hegg Grostad was tested against her will when she was pregnant. The police are now apologizing for sharing confidential information about her.

– On behalf of the Eastern Police District, I would like to apologize to the woman because we shared confidential information with Eidsvoll Municipality, says Police Chief Ida Melbo-Oestesi in Press release Tuesday.

The Eastern Police District accepts the fine the office thinks it should be charged, for sharing the information with Eidsvoll municipality.

VG previously wrote that the office believed the Eastern Police District should be fined NOK 80,000.

Grostad was tested for alcohol under duress at Christmas 2021. She has previously advocated for a more liberal drug policy.

When the commune found out she was pregnant, they wanted to test her, even though there were no indications that she was on drugs.

Grostad refused, and the municipality made a forced decision.

– I appreciate that they’ve settled in, and I’m especially glad they’re starting new routines. I hope Øystese will take responsibility for ensuring that these new measures are also followed at the national level, Grostad tells VG.

She calls penance itself symbolic.

– It’s a rather nice fine. It’s a nice symbolic, but meaningless move for in-state money.

She replied that the fine is only the police district as a unit, not the police officers responsible for the error. The office dropped the report against them because nothing criminal was proven.

– I’d rather see that those who made service mistakes got a score. Because it should not be the case for the police to get away with breaking the law. It is a pity to trust. It becomes hard to trust the police when you know they can get away with breaking the law. But the most important thing is that this does not happen again, says Hegg-Grostad.