“Right-wing extremists and neo-Nazis have absolutely no place” in the force, Mr Reul told reporters, adding that he expected more offensive content to come to light as the investigation proceeded.
Frank Richter, the police chief in Essen – where most of the suspects were based – said he was “appalled and ashamed”.
While some of the suspects face hate speech charges, others are accused of failing to report their colleagues’ actions.
The news comes just a day after German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her deep shame over antisemitism and racism.
“Racism and antisemitism never disappeared, but for some time now they have become more visible and uninhibited,” Ms Merkel told a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Central Council of Jews. The council’s president Josef Schuster warned that “the Nazis’ ideas have still not disappeared.”
