Clarification required: Scandal surrounding police officer assessments in Lüneburg!

Clarification required: Scandal surrounding police officer assessments in Lüneburg!

The waves have been raised in Lüneburg after the administrative court stopped the controversial assessment requirements for police officers. The Association of German Criminal Police Officers (BDK) is concerned about the practices recently uncovered and is calling for a full and independent investigation. In the court's opinion, these requirements, which stipulated that women in the Uelzen Police Department should be given preference in assessments, violated the Basic Law. In the eyes of the court, assessments should only be based on performance - not on gender.

The court ruled that several police officers who successfully challenged the presentation of the guidelines were right. The BDK emphasizes that such blanket and unfounded assessments not only endanger individual careers, but also undermine trust in the entire assessment system. The assessments should be based on the criteria of “suitability, performance and ability”. “One thing is clear: women want to be judged based on their performance, not on the basis of their gender,” explains the BDK and calls for a reform of the assessment system in Lower Saxony.

Loss of trust and criticism of leadership

In addition, structural weaknesses in the assessment system are noticeable. The BDK expresses deep discomfort with the handling of the assessments, which could also be reflected in the redesign of the management structures. The Lüneburg Police Department tries to emphasize that the specifications presented were only used in Uelzen and should not have any influence on the evaluations. But trust in the leadership has been severely shaken.

In particular, the stopping of 26 promotions to grade A11 in June 2023, which were held up due to complaints from three police officers, raises questions. The Lüneburg Administrative Court has not yet received the plaintiffs' justification, which makes it difficult to clarify the situation transparently.

Comprehensive reforms required

The BDK expects not only a serious discussion of the incidents, but also comprehensive reforms of the existing structures. These should be based on objective criteria and transparent decision-making processes. Independent members of the staff council should be represented on appraisal committees in order to ensure that the process is as fair and balanced as possible.

In a recent study, the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency also found that discrimination in police action is a complex problem that requires ongoing discussion. The results confirm that the risks of discrimination - whether based on gender, ethnic origin or other characteristics - exist in different areas of police action. In order to strengthen trust in state institutions, it is crucial that the police rethink their practices and adapt them to the diverse society. Regular training and an expansion of complaints and support options for victims of discrimination are recommendations that are prominently mentioned in the study.

The BDK remains curious as to whether the responsible authorities will take the grievances that have arisen seriously and actually implement the required reforms. The question of whether there will be a rethink in the police remains to be seen - what is important is that action is taken now to not only restore internal order, but also to regain citizens' trust in the police.

For further information, see the articles from State newspaper and Lüneburg Current as well as the study of Federal anti-discrimination agency be read.