The German prosecutor’s office found messages of illegal content, including Nazi symbolism, in chats involving five officers from three different police districts. These violations were uncovered during investigations in the North Rhine-Westphalia region.

According to Annet Milk, the lead prosecutor in the investigation, these five individuals, aged 22 and 25, are suspected of exchanging Nazi symbolism in chats and possessing child pornography during their training. Three of the accused belong to the police department in Recklinghausen and one each to the police departments in Kleve and Borken.

Milk stated that the chats were discovered during an investigation involving a sixth suspect. The prosecutor’s office has charged a former police officer with exchanging far-right extremist symbolism in chats and with possession and distribution of child pornography. He had worked at the police headquarters for some time after completing his training.

Searches were conducted at the homes of three police officers last week.