How is the public informed about cases of radicalization within Swiss police forces? A systematic analysis of all media reports published between 2010 and 2024 reveals 20 such cases for all of Switzerland, distributed across 11 individual police corps. The majority of the cases identified – i.e., on which the media reported – concern uses or public displays of extremist symbols, particularly on social media. Fifteen cases are linked to right-wing extremism, three to conspiracy theories (including COVID-19), and two to Islamist extremism. The study finds significant variation in terms of how the Swiss media reports on such cases, both in terms of quantity and depth. Some incidents receive widespread media attention, but others go largely unnoticed. Overall, press articles are dominated by agency-like reports and brief news items. In-depth journalistic investigation and contextual analysis for the benefit of the public are rare.

Staubli, Silvia; Tamm, Nina; Gaia, Elisa; Hagmann, Jonas (2025). Radikalisierung im Schweizer Polizeiwesen: Medienanalyse liefert erste Erkenntnisse. Kriminalistik 10/2025: 567-570. PDF