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They are said to have exchanged swastikas and photographs of refugees in gas chambers – NRW police are investigating 29 police officers. Interior Minister Reul was appalled.
By Rainer Striewski
“At first I did not want to believe that such a thing existed,” said North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU), visibly concerned Wednesday afternoon. At a hastily convened press conference in Düsseldorf, he announced that the NRW police are investigating 29 police officers because they are said to have exchanged far-right content on their mobile phones. “This process is an embarrassment to the NRW police,” Reul emphasized.
Searches in 34 objects
Already on Wednesday morning, 200 officers were on duty to search 34 police stations and private apartments. This affected 14 police officers in Duisburg, Essen, Moers, Mülheim and Oberhausen. According to Reul, disciplinary orders were served on the other 15 suspects. All 29 officers have been suspended.
Reul: “the worst neo-Nazi racist agitation”
A total of 126 image files with criminal content are said to have been distributed across five WhatsApp chat groups. They talk about the worst racist, neo-Nazi agitation, so Reul. One of these chat groups has existed since 2012, another with the majority of files since 2015.
According to Reul, the latest message was dated August 27, 2020. At the time, investigators had discovered the messages on a cell phone that was originally investigated in another investigative case. It was about the suspicion that a police officer had betrayed a journalist.
Mülheim an der Ruhr police station affected
According to investigators, half of the suspects actively posted photos, the other half read them. According to Reul, those involved should also include some with immigration backgrounds. Most of those involved reportedly worked at some point in the same service group at the Mülheim an der Ruhr police station, which is part of the Essen police headquarters. A service group leader is also included.
According to Reuls, one of the officers today works at the State Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA), one at the State Office for Police Training in North Rhine-Westphalia (LAFP) and two at the State Office for Central Police Services (LZPD). ).
Reul announces special inspection and special commissioner
There were no anomalies that could have led to an initial suspicion, Essen Police Chief Frank Richter said. The fact that none of the officers involved reported the employer shook him, Richter continued.
Interior Minister Reul announced a special inspection for the Essen police headquarters. He will also appoint a special representative for right-wing extremist tendencies in the North Rhine-Westphalia police. He will do everything in his power to “remove these people from service,” Reul stressed, because: “Right-wing extremists have nothing to do with the police in North Rhine-Westphalia.”
Union upset: Reul expects more cases
The police union (GdP) also reacted with consternation to the events. The fact that there are officials sharing right-wing xenophobic content in chat groups is unbearable, explained the state vice president of the GdP, Michael Maatz. “The fight against right-wing extremism is part of the DNA of the police.”
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Reul takes on more cases. “We have to wait for more cases to come,” Reul said. So far, they only had a cell phone that could be used to access the defendant. During the morning raids, other mobile phones were also confiscated.
Those: wdr.de
