Berlin police say they are struggling to fill entry-level roles while maintaining German-language standards, as many applicants fail required assessments. The issue matters because officers must be able to explain and document police actions clearly, and the force has vacancies despite a large applicant pool.

Police president Barbara Slowik Meisel said 40% of applicants failed the German test, and roughly 300 of 1,200 entry-level posts have remained vacant since 2025. More than half of the 240 cadets who began training in spring 2025 needed extra German tuition; Berlin’s force has Germany’s highest share of officers with migrant backgrounds, at 37%. The article also notes that asylum applications and recorded illegal entries into Germany fell sharply in 2025, though the reasons for the decline are disputed.