Berlin police students will in future be cared for by an experienced police officer and a social worker. This is what the head of the department Tanja Knapp said in an interview with the "Berliner Morgenpost".
The police academy was criticized several times last year. In SPIEGEL instructors complained problems shooting training. There was also speculation about alleged infiltration of the Berlin police by criminal clans.
The police had rejected that and put in a special investigator. The headmaster asked for his transfer in February. Knapp then took over the post.
She has held 200 talks since taking office, she told The Morning Post. "Everyone feels the need to get out of the negative headlines of the last year and a half."
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The social worker should help the pupils with problems at home, examination fears or relationship difficulties. In addition, new German teachers have been hired. "We find some blatant difficulties in writing and certainly in the debate," Knapp said.
There is also pent-up demand in terms of motivation for some trainees. "Even the realistic assessment of the profession does not succeed some." Under her guidance the morning attendance of the police pupils was reintroduced.
Nearly 2,500 young junior policemen are being trained by 230 teachers and lecturers at the Police Academy.