Police officers in Germany feel "powerless" and "abandoned" due to the government's migration policy, which they believe has contributed to rising crime involving foreign nationals, investigative journalist Liv von Boetticher said an interview with WELT after speaking with dozens of police officers across Germany.
According to Report, the interview coincided with the release of her book, We Are Losing This Country, which is based on conversations with police officers. The book's description says it recounts "stories of fear and anger, violence, loss of control, and failed migration policy."
According to von Boetticher, many of the complaints regarding crimes involving migrants came from police officers in Berlin, which she described as a "hotspot of tensions."
She claimed that some officers told her they had "already lost this country" or that "this country is finished."
The journalist also relayed the views of certain senior German security officials who support reviewing naturalization decisions made over the past five years and suspending the issuance of residence permits.
Her interviewees also alleged widespread fraud involving forged documents that can allegedly be purchased through TikTok, as well as fake language certificates.
In von Boetticher's assessment, the situation can still be reversed, but only if German authorities take urgent measures, including expanding police staffing levels and strengthening mechanisms for identifying offenses committed by migrants.