Unfinished Business in Berlin's Police Department
The Berlin State Office of Criminal Investigation has a laundry list of unattended cases, largely involving politically-motivated crimes. Recently, the police force has started digging into allegations of obstruction of justice within their own ranks. The investigation centers on the former chief of the police department and an assistant from the division handling right-wing crimes.
New Sheriffs in Town
The new leadership in the police department stumbled upon these unaddressed or insufficiently addressed cases during a departmental shake-up. Most of these cases date back to 2020 and 2021. They've been reviewed and sent to the public prosecutor's office for further examination. Once the legal evaluation is completed, the police will resume their investigations based on the recommendations from the prosecutor's office.
The identity of the crimes in question remains a mystery, though investigations related to the 'lateral thinking' scene from that period are a possibility. Certain incidents connected to a series of right-wing extremist crimes in Berlin-Neukölln, however, are not affected. This was a different era, according to the police spokeswoman.
The Berlin House of Representatives is also scrutinizing the so-called 'Neukölln complex', with the aim to shed light on any wrongdoings or oversights by the authorities.
Demand for Transparency
Green and Left Party MPs are advocating for a thorough investigation into the matter. They plan to discuss the situation in the Interior Committee the following Monday. Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) and Police Commissioner Barbara Slowik have been requested to attend. Spranger insists on receiving more information from the Berlin police, emphasizing that "a case like this must not happen, no victim must suffer, no criminal must get away with it."
The police are currently investigating potential criminal responsibility within its ranks, given the unprocessed right-wing crime cases. Obstruction of justice appears to have been a factor in this situation, as senator Spranger reminded, urging justice for the victims and effective investigation of any misconduct.
Enrichment Data Integration:
It's worth noting that in early 2025, a demonstration in Berlin sparked outrage, as some chants at the event seemed to support terrorist organizations banned in Germany. The language barrier and noise level made immediate assessment difficult for the police, but they temporarily detained three individuals and reviewed footage of the protest, pending further investigation.
Moreover, the Berlin police force has dealt with an alarming increase of antisemitic incidents since the beginning of 2024, with 1,383 documented cases in the first half of the year, significantly higher than the preceding year. The Hamas invasion of southern Israel in October 2023 is largely attributed to this surge in antisemitic activities.
Available sources do not suggest an immediate connection between these events and the current investigation, but they provide insight into the broader context in which these cases are unfolding.