To police affair - The representative sees issues with the leadership culture of the police
From the perspective of the Value Commissioner of the Baden-Württemberg Interior Administration, Jörg Krauss, the police and other authorities have a need to catch up in terms of leadership culture. Conversations with female and male employees have revealed that there is a fear of making mistakes in daily work because these are constantly equated with failure by colleagues and superiors, according to the report of the Commissioner. "This would foster a culture of fear that neither encourages new ways to be explored nor established procedures to be questioned," the paper states.
Moreover, many conversation partners have requested more intensive backing from the leadership level. "In some cases, the feeling of being left alone was present," writes Krauss in his report. In the case of difficulties, it is uncertain whether support from the leadership will be received.
24 Action Recommendations for Police Leadership
Krauss and his team have developed 24 action recommendations for how the leadership culture of the Interior Administration, and especially the police, can be strengthened. For example, when selecting leadership personnel, greater attention should be paid to their social competencies and not just their evaluations.
Moreover, Krauss recommends a positive error culture. Leadership personnel should create the conditions for errors to be openly addressed - without fear of negative consequences. Regular feedback to leadership personnel and the communication culture should also be made more open.
Further proposals from the Value Commissioner focus on relieving police officers of administrative tasks, better development opportunities, better equipment for female and male employees, and strengthening so-called tariff employees - i.e., employees who are not civil servants.
Strobl: "This will be implemented"
Interior Minister Thomas Strobl said that Krauss' proposals would not be simply filed away. "This will be implemented," said the CDU politician, without naming a specific timeframe. He could not, however, introduce a new leadership culture without the support of the entire police force. "I cannot just tell you to do it. This must be lived out, and leadership personnel must radiate it," so Strobl.
Regarding the desire for more backing, he said, "I can only live it out. I stand before the police - even when the air is leaden and many are saying goodbye." He expects this to also be made correspondingly within the organization by superiors.
The German Police Union sees the report of the Value Commissioner as a "sworn statement" for the Interior Ministry and its understanding of leadership. "The paper calls for changes in large parts that should be self-evident and have long since been implemented," the union stated. It is alarming that self-evident things in dealing and in the organizational culture are not a consensus and are not lived out by all leadership personnel.
The department was established as a consequence of the affair involving the police inspector. The highest police officer of the state had to answer for allegations of sexual coercion at the Stuttgart Regional Court in the past year and was acquitted.
The affair also led to an investigative committee in the state parliament. The matter concerns the promotion practice in the police and the question of how the now suspended police inspector was able to reach his high position.
- Following the recommendations of Value Commissioner Jörg Krauss, Interior Minister Thomas Strobl highlighted the importance of implementing his proposals for improving the leadership culture within the police, stating, "This will be implemented."
- In addressing the need for more support from the leadership level, Interior Minister Thomas Strobl acknowledged the need for him and other leaders to "live it out" and radiate the new leadership culture, rather than simply commanding it.
- Police leader Thomas Strobl, faced with the German Police Union's criticism of the current lack of self-evident changes in leadership behavior and organizational culture, emphasized the responsibility of superiors to set a positive example in upholding the new leadership principles within their ranks.
