An interim result of an investigation suggests that the German police have a racism problem. But the exact answer is more complex. The rejection is especially evident against two groups in particular.
How racist are the German police? A long-awaited interim result of a study answers this question in “an astonishing range of shades of gray,” reports the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. Researchers from the German Police University, commissioned by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, found that within the German security forces there are “at most a small number of people who have a consistently anti-human and anti-democratic view of the world.”
The researchers do not want to regard their initial finding as ‘all-clear’. On the contrary: a “clearly recognizable group of people” has emerged who can “express themselves only ambivalently, indecisively or hesitantly for democracy, diversity and the like”. These are “more than just isolated cases”.
Two very devalued minorities
According to the report, racial profiling was discussed “quite openly.” So the increased control of groups of people based on their appearance. “Misanthropic positions can be found in both the police force and the general population,” the SZ quotes the study’s authors as saying. However, a closer look at the data shows that security forces tend to target two minorities in particular: Muslims and the homeless. Reasons for this cannot be given, but need further investigation.
The frequency of observed violations of official duties among colleagues is also at a “remarkably high level”. In addition, 42 percent of those surveyed report sexism, exclusion and racist expressions that they have observed themselves. About three-quarters of the participants in the survey have themselves been victims of physical violence or personal insults in the past twelve months.
How meaningful is the study?
For the study entitled “Motivation, attitudes and violence in daily life among police officers,” researchers interviewed police officers from almost all states and the federal government about their experiences and worldviews. Only Hamburg and Baden-Württemberg refused to cooperate.
Participation in the study varied widely from state to state. According to the “Süddeutsche”, the lowest value compared to the total number of officers was around 6 percent, with a maximum of 33 percent of police officers in a federal state taking part in the survey. The average was around 16 percent.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
