Frankfurt/Main (dpa/lhe) - After renewed searches of Frankfurt police officers, the SPD in the Hessian state parliament is demanding consequences. A new culture of mistakes and leadership is needed, said the parliamentary group's domestic spokeswoman, Heike Hofmann, on Saturday. "The use of signs of anti-constitutional organizations, the thwarting of criminal prosecution and the violation of official secrets by the Hessian police are absolutely unacceptable. All means of criminal and disciplinary law must be exhausted in each individual case."
Investigations against five Frankfurt police officers were announced on Friday evening. According to the Frankfurt public prosecutor's office, one of the accused is suspected of having used symbols of anti-constitutional organizations. Three officials are suspected of having perpetrated criminal offenses in office in this connection, and one of them is said to have violated official secrecy. In addition, there is an initial suspicion against another police officer because of the violation of official secrecy. Search warrants were carried out on Friday.
Police officers from the Frankfurt Presidium have repeatedly caused scandals in recent years, including with right-wing chat groups. Most recently, in April, several officials were charged with allegedly sharing racist and hate speech.
The SPD MP Hofmann criticized Interior Minister Peter Beuth (CDU), who did not live up to his responsibility despite repeated cases. "Again and again we hear the fairy tale of a new error and leadership culture and a new mission statement, but this fairy tale ends tragically with every chapter - a happy ending seems far away."
