Following allegations of racism against the police, the federal government and some federal states are planning investigations into this. Meanwhile, a new study shows that non-white people in particular often perceive police operations as discriminatory. The perception of the police is different.
Thursday, November 12th, 2020, 5:25 am|last updated: Wednesday, 11/11/2020, 2:39 p.m. Reading time: 3 minutes | To press
In the case of allegedly racially motivated police operations, there are apparently considerable differences in perception between officials and those affected. That is the result of a new, non-representative one Study by the criminologist Tobias Singelnstein of the Ruhr University Bochum, which was presented on Wednesday in Berlin. The experiences of three different groups with the police were examined: so-called People of Color (PoC) – people with darker skin color who are perceived as non-German – as well as people with a migration background and people without a migration background.
—
According to the information, 3,373 people who had experienced physical violence by the police and classified it as unlawful were interviewed for the study. There were also individual interviews with representatives of the police, victim counseling centers and civil society.
Every second PoC suspects racism
People of Color experiences were significantly different from those of white people, the study says. Almost two thirds (62 percent) of the people questioned with darker skin color said that they felt discriminated against by the police. 42 percent of people with a migration background would also have answered in the affirmative. For people without a migration background, the figure is 31 percent.
Around half of the PoC concerned suspect that the police discriminated against them because of their alleged “ethnic” or cultural affiliation. Among the people without a migrant background, only three percent would have assessed it that way. According to the study, people with dark complexions were also more likely to come into contact with the police outside of major events, for example during identity checks.
PoC is more often denied notification
As the study also shows, only nine percent of all respondents decided after experiencing violence by the police to file a criminal complaint. There were no differences between white people and PoC. However, PoC were more likely than whites to report that police refused to take the report (21 percent versus 10 percent). Family or lawyers have also advised against filing a complaint more often (64 percent versus 54 percent).
Police officers would often perceive their behavior as non-discriminatory, said criminologist Singelnstein. In contrast, People of Color in particular have “special antennas” for discriminatory behavior. In the event of a conflict, this perspective discrepancy often makes “an understanding of the situation very difficult,” said Singelnstein.
Expert: Take a close look at studies
The study “Racism and Discrimination Experiences in the Context of Police Violence” was prepared against the background of the debate about possible racism in the police. In addition to Singelnstein, the sociologist and professor at the Lower Saxony Police Academy, Astrid Jacobsen, and the Düsseldorf lawyer, Blaise Francis El Mourabit, spoke out in favor of a significant expansion of research on the subject.
Jacobsen emphasized that in future studies it would be important to distinguish whether the attitudes of police officers, police practice or structural framework conditions that may promote racism in the security authorities are explored. In addition to the federal government, several federal states are planning studies on the subject.
Lawyer demands Bodycam and labeling
Meanwhile, lawyer Mourabit called for police officers to wear a body cam. In the event of a conflict, this would also make it easier for those affected to provide evidence. There should also be a labeling requirement for police officers.
People of Color is a self-designation used by people who do not define themselves as white and report experiences of racism. The term is also to be understood politically, PoC demand equal participation in all areas of society. The term “colored” is rejected because it comes from colonialism. (epd / me)
–
