ASCHERSLEBEN. The rector of the police school in Saxony-Anhalt, Frank Knöppler, has announced the establishment of a professorship for political education in his training center. The position should be filled in the coming year. The police school wants to counteract extremism in the security forces, Knöppler told the MDR.
The measure alone is not enough to immunize the later civil servants against racism and anti-Semitism. Corresponding structures and opportunities should be created to a greater extent, which the officials supervised in a lengthy process.
Police officers developed extremism on active duty
The university already has contacts to Israel and an anti-Semitism officer. There are also entire theme days that deal with the phenomenon. During their training, the police officers go to the Moses Mendelssohn Foundation in Halberstadt or exchange ideas with Jewish fellow citizens about their culture and history, explained Knöppler.
Police officers usually only tend towards racist and anti-Semitic tendencies when they are on active duty and are no longer observed and accompanied there, said Rafael Behr from the Hamburg Police Academy. For many officials it is difficult to report the misconduct of their colleagues because this is considered treason and a breach of trust.
Officials should point out abuses
The deputy head of the Saxony-Anhalt Police Union, Uwe Bachmann, appealed to the officers to be ready to point out abuses.
“We have a solid education, we have a basic democratic understanding and we have to be tough and strong enough to actually address such things,” he demanded.
Lately, cases have repeatedly become known in which police officers are said to have shared right-wing extremist content in WhatsApp chats. On Monday, the Göppingen police initiated disciplinary proceedings against 17 officers who are said to have been members of such groups. She accuses 15 of them, who have not sent right-wing extremist messages themselves, not protesting against them. (quote)
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