A military court has upheld a one-year suspension of employment and salary for a Civil Guard officer stationed on Mallorca after findings of inappropriate behavior in a bar in the town of Algaida. The decision confirms that the officer treated the bar’s owner in a demeaning manner in a way that breached professional conduct standards for law enforcement personnel.
The officer often visited this bar, and most patrons knew he was a member of the Civil Guard’s investigations unit. The bar was operated by a locally born Ecuadorian and supported by his sister, who worked as a server.
According to the ruling, the officer addressed the bar owner and, in front of witnesses, spoke in a contemptuous tone that reflected prejudice. The remarks did not arise from any dissatisfaction with bar service but from his stated disdain based on the owner’s ethnic background.
In front of several witnesses, the officer made statements such as being “out of the woods” and joking about climbing a coconut tree. He directed remarks at the Ecuadorian owner and, at times, at his sister, conveying disdain through vulgar language tied to immigration status.
These comments were directed not only at the bar owner but also at his sister. The disciplinary record shows a clear display of contempt that extended beyond casual banter, underscoring a bias linked to immigrant status and association with the establishment.
The most serious incident arose in the early hours of July 24, 2001, when the officer argued with the bar owner’s sister over a matter that began with a discussion about caring for a dog. The exchange escalated, and the officer focused his comments on disparaging the sister due to her immigrant background. He referred to her as “interference” and told her she was “unimportant.” He explicitly criticized South Americans relocating to Mallorca and described them as those who arrive by small boats and face hardship, further implying criminal behavior.
The officer then reminded the sister of his status as a Civil Guard agent, suggesting he could wield significant influence. He stated that his badge could cause harm and would be used to demonstrate power, a moment that left the sister visibly distressed.
After leaving the bar, the sister experienced anxiety and sought medical attention. She was diagnosed with an anxiety condition and prescribed a course of anxiolytic medication for several days.
Other local officers from Ses Salines who frequented the bar witnessed the interaction, noting the officer’s condescending tone toward the Ecuadorian waiter and repeatedly signaling for the staff’s attention to address the behavior.
The sister reported the events to investigators within the Civil Guard, triggering a formal disciplinary examination. The outcome was a one-year suspension of the officer, a penalty approved by the Civil Guard’s general director and subsequently sustained by the military court. This decision reinforces that professional standards demand respectful, non-discriminatory conduct from those serving in the law enforcement community.
In the United States and Canada, cases with similar themes—public officials exhibiting biased language or coercive conduct toward immigrants or ethnic minorities—often prompt internal discipline, civil rights reviews, and strengthened training on cultural sensitivity. The Mallorca case illustrates that disciplined accountability can be maintained even when the misconduct occurs in social settings outside official duties, reinforcing a standard that officers must uphold when representing the service and the state.