How does the police behave? How widespread are prejudices, for example against asylum seekers? The final report of a major study that was started in 2021 is now available.
Around one in three police officers has heard racist comments from colleagues while on duty within a year. This is the result of the final report of a large-scale study commissioned by the federal government on everyday life and attitudes within the police force. In two online surveys conducted at different times, 67 percent of participants said they had never heard such comments in the past year. In the second survey, the figure was 68 percent. The researchers asked police officers from the federal and state governments about their observations on how colleagues deal with citizens and with other police officers.
Sexist statements are relatively common
According to the study, just over 40 percent of the police officers who took part noticed sexist comments in the year before the survey. Ten percent of them said that this had happened in more than ten cases within a year. Three percent of those surveyed reported that they had observed corrupt behavior by colleagues in the past year. The number of incidents cannot be directly deduced from the results of the online survey, as the misconduct of an officer may be observed by several of his colleagues.
The respondents who had noticed racist comments, sexism or corrupt behavior, however, mostly did nothing personally, according to the study. Sexual assault was the most frequently reported crime by respondents, at around ten percent. The authors of the study point out, however, that an individual reaction does not mean that the crime was not reported, as the report can also be made by third parties. They were also only asked about their own behavior the last time they observed such an incident.
Anti-Muslim sentiment has increased
For the study, the German Police University also asked about the officers’ attitudes towards minorities and authoritarianism. The final report states: “There are few indications of radical positions, but some impressions that suggest uncertainty and ambiguous positions.” The study results also show that problematic attitudes have increased: For example, in the first survey between November 2021 and October 2022, the researchers found that eleven percent of respondents were hostile to Islam. In the second survey, which ran between November 2023 and March 2024, the figure was 17 percent. An increase was also observed in chauvinism and authoritarianism. The rejection of asylum seekers rose from 30 percent to 42 percent.
“There is zero tolerance for right-wing extremism, racism and other forms of misanthropy,” said Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) commenting on the results of the study commissioned by her predecessor Horst Seehofer (CSU). She added: “We want to strengthen a transparent culture of error and consistently counteract the emergence and consolidation of prejudices and discrimination.”
At the same time, the minister stressed that police officers are on duty day and night under difficult, sometimes life-threatening conditions. They defend the rule of law and democracy and deserve respect and appreciation for this.
Too much bureaucracy is perceived as a burden
According to the study, German police officers find experiences that have to do with collegiality, success and experienced appreciation for their own work motivating in their everyday work. Stressful factors include difficult cases such as death investigations or crimes against children. But perceived staff shortages, a lot of bureaucracy and “experiences of futility”, for example with regard to the results of criminal proceedings, are also common causes of frustration, according to the report.
“It is clear that the lack of personnel in the police is not a union invention, but that our colleagues experience it first hand every day in their various workplaces,” said the Federal Chairman of the Police Union (GdP), Jochen Kopelke. A lack of personnel resources has led to increasing pressures and increased sickness rates. “The urgency of strengthening the entire rule of law chain is shown by some sobering views on the effectiveness of our own work.” The discontinuance of proceedings due to a lack of personnel has reduced employee motivation. “This must end soon,” demanded Kopelke.
He also criticised the lack of a holistic, scientific approach to the increasing risk of police employees becoming victims of aggressive attacks. Consistent and harsh punishments alone are not sufficient here.
Police study
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
