Jarosław Szymczyk, Poland’s former national police chief, faces criminal charges after accidentally firing a grenade launcher in his office in December 2022.
The explosion caused damage to police headquarters in Warsaw and injured both Szymczyk and a civilian employee.
The launcher had been given to him as a gift by Ukrainian officials during a visit, as reported by Notes From Poland.
Prosecutors have now charged Szymczyk with illegal possession of a military-grade weapon and endangering lives and property through negligence.
If convicted, he could face up to eight years in prison for possessing the grenade launcher without a license, and up to five years for unintentionally endangering lives.
According to officials, Szymczyk believed the launcher had been converted into a harmless loudspeaker, though no one had verified if it was deactivated.
The explosion blew a hole in the floor of his office, and initial reports downplayed the incident, attributing it to a collapsed ceiling.
Szymczyk, who served as police chief from 2016 to 2023, has denied understanding the charges and declined to comment further.
His resignation came shortly before a new government took office in December 2022.
Investigations revealed multiple irregularities, with Poland's new interior minister, Marcin Kierwiński, pointing to serious lapses in security that could have led to an even more catastrophic outcome.
