Police insulting cases on the rise: report

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- The number of people indicted on charges of insulting
police officers surged fourfold between 2006 and 2008, amid growing public
antagonism towards law enforcement officials, a prosecution report said
Wednesday.
The number of such cases compiled by prosecutors increased to 3,568 last year, up
sharply from 913 in 2006 and 1,911 in 2007, according to the report released by
the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.
During the first five months of 2009, 1,705 people have been indicted on charges
of insulting a police officer, it noted.
"When a police officer is confronted with offensive remarks from criminal
suspects, he or she tends to apply contempt charges. Those who use violence
against police are usually indicted on charges of obstruction of official duty,"
said a Seoul judge.
Instructions issued by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency two years ago urging
officers to deal severely with those who interfere in the execution of their
duties may be another reason for the rise in such cases, according to legal
experts.
brk@yna.co.kr
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