Ticino fires the two cantonal police officers in Gobbi case

The Ticino cantonal government has decided to dismiss with immediate effect the two cantonal police officers involved in the leaks linked to the car accident of government councillor Norman Gobbi. The accident dates back to November 2023, nearly three years before the government's decision. The two officers are currently under investigation by the public prosecutor's office precisely over these leaks.

One of the two officers also faces a further charge, this time related to weapons law. He is accused of having shot at a speed camera in the municipality of Monteggio.

The dismissal of the two officers follows an administrative inquiry carried out by the government in recent months. This internal inquiry ran parallel to the criminal proceedings opened by the public prosecutor's office on the same case. The two proceedings, criminal and administrative, followed separate paths and different timelines. It was the government's administrative inquiry that first led to the termination of the employment relationship with the two officers.

The government's reasoning

In the press release announcing the decision, the cantonal executive states that "il rapporto di fiducia con il datore di lavoro risulta definitivamente e irreparabilmente compromesso" (the relationship of trust with the employer has been definitively and irreparably compromised). On this basis, the government justifies the immediate termination of the employment relationship with the two officers.

Asked by RSI, the two officers' lawyers said they would consider whether to challenge the decision. Among them, lawyer Andrea Bersani, who represents one of the two officers, said he was puzzled for two reasons. On one hand, he learned of his client's dismissal at the same moment the government's press release was issued. On the other, he pointed out that the decision came before the criminal investigation opened by the public prosecutor's office against his client had concluded.