Police leader affirms proposal for police research
Berlin - Saskia Esken, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), has reiterated her call for a study on racism within the German police force, arguing that it is crucial to address far-right sentiments within security agencies to preserve public trust.
In an interview with the "taz" newspaper, Esken emphasized the heavy reliance of police officers on societal trust. She highlighted the need to counteract human-hating and far-right ideologies within the forces, stating that a study focusing explicitly on this aspect would be essential.
However, Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) has repeatedly declined the proposition of a study that concentrates solely on structural racism within the police force. According to the "Bild am Sonntag," Seehofer asserts that there will be no such study under his tenure. Nevertheless, he seems open to broader research on racism overall.
Esken pointed out that studies on racism and xenophobia in society, as suggested by Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, have already been carried out for several years. For instance, the "Mitte-Study" has examined anti-democratic attitudes in the German population since 2006 under the auspices of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
Academic research and reports have focused extensively on the broader issue of structural racism and discrimination within law enforcement across Europe, including Germany. Although there is no singular, widely recognized comprehensive study on this subject within the German police force as of mid-2025, ongoing reports and studies provide significant context and understanding.
Reports reveal that police forces in several European nations, including Germany, engage in racial profiling and disproportionately target minority communities, despite lower crime rates among these groups. In Germany, Black, Arab, and other racialized individuals often report higher rates of police stops and negative experiences. Furthermore, investigations suggest a connection between racist attitudes and operational practices such as predictive policing and racial profiling. These issues indicate that racism is a systemic problem in Western European law enforcement.
Civil society organizations, such as the European Network Against Racism (ENAR), are actively working to address structural racism and discrimination within police and security forces across Europe. Their efforts underscore the need for in-depth, country-specific studies on issues affecting individual police forces, such as Germany.
Despite these ongoing efforts, comprehensive, peer-reviewed studies specifically focusing on the German police force remain scarce. Research across Europe and the United States has shown that aggressive policing and racial profiling are deeply entrenched practices affecting Black and other racialized youth, culminating in feelings of harassment, surveillance, and mistrust. Similarly, trust in law enforcement among minority groups, migrants, refugees, and the LGBTQ+ community is generally lower than among the general public.
In conclusion, while a specific study solely focused on structural racism within the German police force does not presently exist, evidence from European and German-specific reports points to the presence of structural racism and discrimination in operational practices, community trust, and minority experiences. The ongoing research and advocacy aim to deepen understanding and promote reform to address these issues in the German police force and across Europe.
Other studies on racism and discrimination within German society have been ongoing for several years, such as the "Mitte-Study" by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. However, comprehensive, peer-reviewed studies specifically focusing on the German police force to address structural racism and discrimination remain scarce in policy-and-legislation and general-news discussions.
