The form alone makes it clear that it should be a personal reminder. President Dieter Romann himself handwritten the one-page employee letter that the federal police published on the intranet on Monday. Scanned, the 54,000 employees could then read what Romann thinks about the controversial uniformed appearance of his employee Claudia Pechstein at the CDU policy convention a little over a week ago.
Romann does not mention the ice athlete by name. Nevertheless, criticism of their behavior is clear. The Federal Police President leaves no doubt that imitators are extremely undesirable. In the letter, which is available to the SZ, Romann first quotes civil service law. “Officials serve the whole people, not a party,” writes the president. “They must carry out their duties impartially and fairly and carry out their duties for the public good.”
He couldn’t put it any better than the legislature in the Federal Civil Service Act, Romann continues, and then sends a very personal warning afterwards: “If we lose the public’s trust in our neutral exercise of office, we won’t need better uniforms in the end.” The chief of police obviously doesn’t want to have to rate any more appearances of this kind. “Don’t get infected…” he demands of his people in the letter, about which the Mirror had reported.
In uniform, Pechstein called for more consistent deportations
Pechstein appeared in uniform at the CDU event on June 17. The sportswoman and federal police officer campaigned for a strengthening of club and school sports. But she also called for more consistent deportation of rejected asylum seekers and justified this with more security in everyday life. The speech had triggered sharp reactions. Critics had accused Pechstein of populism. Even in the Union itself, the appearance was controversial.
Romann initially did not comment personally on the case. After the appearance, however, the federal police announced that they had initiated a legal examination. The Federal Ministry of the Interior, led by the SPD politician Nancy Faeser, had also warned that this case would be clarified very quickly. In principle, according to civil service law, there is a duty to be neutral and moderate if you express yourself or act politically in your function as a civil servant, explained a spokesman for the ministry. But as a citizen, civil servants could do it.
Pechstein herself defended her appearance in uniform last. “There is no express ban on wearing a uniform at party events,” she said Picture– newspaper said. How Romann positions himself had been eagerly awaited. The federal police chief has been campaigning for a tougher asylum course for a long time. After the parliamentary elections in Berlin, he was temporarily treated as a possible interior senator in the black-red coalition.