Over Half Of Berlin’s New Police Recruits Can’t Speak Basic German, Officials Admit

For some reason, Germany loves recruiting migrants into its police force in the name of diversity. In 2022, roughly 42% of police recruits who took the most common path into Berlin’s police force were migrants or came from migrant families, according to a major survey (37% including all pathways). 

What’s more, Berlin is the only German state where the proportion of new police recruits with a migration background matches or exceeds the city’s own population share (35%) according to that same survey. 

Now, (shocker!) roughly 55% of Germany’s new police recruits don’t meet basic German language standards – so obviously that percentage of migrant recruits went way up. 

Out of 240 police trainees who began their training in spring 2025, a staggering 132 recruits, roughly 55% need extra German-language support, the Berlin Police confirmed to Nius (via Apollo News).

The problem, authorities say, hits hardest in the first semester of training. “About half of the new recruits require regular language support at the start of their training,” the police statement said. However, they noted that the need for assistance drops over time as recruits progress through the program.

No word on where these recruits are migrating from. Maybe it’s the Poles? The Turks?

Police Blame Broader Social Decline

Berlin’s police stressed this isn’t just a law enforcement issue, it’s part of a nationwide trend of falling written-language skills.

Authorities cited multiple causes:

• Teacher shortages
• Increasing diversity in classrooms
• Rising demands on schools, particularly in German language instruction and digital media literacy

The agency also pointed to cultural and technological shifts as contributing factors. Young people are growing up in a world “where written text is everywhere,” the statement said, but that doesn’t mean they’re writing it correctly.

“There are hardly any error-free texts anymore,” the police noted, blaming a growing reliance on technology like spellcheck, autocorrect, and AI tools for weakening spelling and grammar skills.

High Stakes for Future Officers

For Berlin’s future officers, language proficiency isn’t optional, it’s required by law. Police trainees must demonstrate C2-level German fluency – the highest possible level under the Common European Framework of Reference – by the end of their training.

That proficiency is tested through a final exam. Failing twice means automatic dismissal from the police force under Berlin’s Police Act, the agency confirmed.

Berlin’s recruitment challenges come amid growing concerns about Germany’s education system, integration policies, and workforce shortages. But for law enforcement specifically, the stakes are higher than ever: police officers must be able to write reports, testify in court, and communicate flawlessly in complex, high-pressure situations.

Bigger Questions About Integration and Standards

The numbers highlight a broader debate over educational decline, integration policy, and workforce standards in Germany. Critics argue that lowering expectations in schools, combined with rising classroom heterogeneity, has left new generations less prepared for professional demands, especially in fields like policing, where precision in language can affect public safety.

As Berlin struggles to recruit and train enough officers, questions are mounting about whether Germany’s schools are adequately preparing graduates for essential roles, and whether institutions like the police force will eventually lower entry requirements to keep up with staffing shortages.

“Good language skills are mandatory for the job,” the Berlin Police stressed.