Polizeibeamte als Berufszeugen in Strafverfahren

This work examines the particularities of police officers who appear as witnesses in criminal proceedings. First of all, the special characteristics of this group of witnesses are worked out. These are then examined from a psychological perspective with regard to their effects on the credibility of the witness statements. In an empirical section, these findings are then compared with the expertise of judges, prosecutors and defence lawyers. Finally, possible alternatives are discussed.
It becomes clear that police officers are granted a special status by judges and public prosecutors that cannot be justified from a psychological point of view considering the special characteristics that have a negative impact on their credibility. In fact, their statements would have to be subjected to particularly critical appraisal in practice.
The author is a lawyer and specialist for criminal law in Berlin.