STÉPHANE HERZOG Between 2016 and 2025, five people died during or following arrest by Vaud police officers. The victims were all of African origin, which adds racist undertones to the suspicion of unbridled brutality. The publication of racist and sexist messages by Lausanne police officers on WhatsApp groups this summer tarnished the force’s image further. These messages led to eight officers being suspended from duty. According to public broadcaster RTS, one of them was present during the questioning of Mike Ben Peter in Lausanne on 28 February 2018. The Nigerian, suspected of drug trafficking, was pinned to the ground face down for several minutes. He died. The six officers involved in the affair were acquitted but the case is still pending before the Federal Supreme Court. “This succession of incidents raises questions,” acknowledges Frédéric Maillard, analyst of police practices in Switzerland who advises Lausanne Police Commander Olivier Botteron. What is the common denominator? This is the question. The same theory for everyone These incidents involved several Vaud municipal police forces (Lausanne, Morges and Chablais) as well as the cantonal police. Is there a systemic problem in these bodies? Maillard describes the Lausanne police as working in a very dense operating area with a strong sense of team spirit and being somewhat closed-off. It is composed of managers some of whom have been co-opted. The trainer furthermore believes that the same configuration applies to police forces in German-speaking Switzerland, with the same risks. So what about police training? Switzerland’s six regional police training colleges function according to a model devised by the Swiss Police Institute (SPI). Since 2020, the course has lasted two years: one year at school and one year in the field, culminating in a federal diploma. The theory features chapters devoted to ethics and to minorities. “Ethnic origin must never be the sole reason for stopping someone,” the course materials say. Police examinations are standardised, but recruitment is at a cantonal level. In Neuchâtel, for example, candidates must first sit basic tests: French, sport, general knowledge and a psychometric test. Around 25 applicants from a total of 300 are accepted per Vaud police: training under scrutiny Since 2016, five Africans have died while in custody in the canton of Vaud. Racist messages exchanged between officers have also shocked the general public. The quality of training is being called into question. In French-speaking Switzerland, Savatan Police Academy is the subject of particular criticism. Jallard, director of the Fribourg, Neuchâtel and Jura Interregional Police Training College (CIFPOL). “You have to build a connection with the person instead of getting into a conflict,” the former commissioner explains. In his view, the police officer “must not be the problem”. In both Fribourg and Neuchâtel, the recruitment process includes in-depth interviews with a psychologist, says Jallard. The primary aim of CIFPOL is “to train civic-minded officers”. Training seen as too military In the canton of Vaud, police go through Savatan Police Academy (VD), where aspiring candidates are trained with their counterparts from Geneva; Valais left the institution this summer. The centre, nicknamed “le Rocher” (the Rock), opened in a former military barracks in 2004 and has faced frequent criticism. The same is true of its director, Colonel Alain Bergonzoli, who was appointed in 2008. “We’ve always said it: the location is not suitable for training police officers. The training provided is military, patronising and focused on parades,” complains Inspector Mike Berker, vice-chairman of the trade union for police officers Syndicat de la police judiciaire à Genève. He feels that the barrack’s style and remote location make it hard to recruit the right people for the cantonal police. “The candidates are young, and they are trained in an environment where every human encounter is potentially a threat to such an extent that, when they arrive in Geneva, they have to review their whole approach to training,” says Berker. Frédéric Maillard believes that spending a year “at the Rock” suits year. Candidates are placed in situations in which they have to exercise their authority. For example, an applicant might be asked to play a ticket inspector confronted with a passenger who is putting his feet on the seats. “If, after asking the person twice to remove their feet, the candidate becomes violent, they are clearly not right for the job,” says Raphaël “We have always said that Savatan is not suitable for training police officers” Mike Berker, Vice-President of the Geneva Judicial Police Union Swiss Review / December 2025 / No.5 26 Politics
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