Dilapidated police stations: Cynicism is inevitable

Frank Teichert, a representative for the German Police Union in Berlin, offers guests only bottled water, hesitant to serve tap water due to concerns about the old pipes. He admits to feeling guilty even watering plants with it. The air in his office is thick with citrus air freshener, and he rarely opens the window, fearing it might break.

Teichert's discomfort is symptomatic of a larger problem: many of Berlin's 37 police stations are in a state of disrepair. He is a personnel council member for the German Police Union, an organization that has been drawing attention to the working conditions of the country's approximately 280,000 state police officers for years.

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I already feel guilty when I water the plants with it.

Teichert has personally inspected numerous stations and reviewed photos and accounts shared by colleagues. He frequently hears about infestations of moths and rats, loose electrical wiring, and unsanitary shower facilities. These conditions, he suggests, can lead to a cynical outlook among officers who are expected to maintain order while working in environments that are themselves in disarray.

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I have already seen many service points myself. And I know photos and stories that colleagues pass on to me.