Disgruntled union voices concerns over extensive damage and lack of maintenance at numerous police stations
In recent times, the German Police Union (GdP) has raised concerns about the state of police stations and patrol vehicles across Germany. According to Hagen Husgen, a member of the GdP federal board, the conditions are not only subpar but also health-endangering for police personnel.
The increasing privatization of services, such as vehicle maintenance and digitization, is contributing to these deficiencies. The current status of police station and patrol vehicle conditions in Germany is not explicitly detailed, but psychosocial strains on police officers and a deteriorating rule of law environment are evident.
A study involving 253 officers in a federal state police force revealed moderate emotional exhaustion and stress related to shift work and workload. Despite this, good collegial cooperation was reported, with no gender differences noted in the psychosocial strain[1].
The rule of law situation in Germany is described as deteriorating, with significant concerns about police actions linked to online speech deemed extremist, and rising antisemitic crime. These developments suggest increasing operational challenges and public scrutiny impacting police work[2][5].
The growing threat of terrorism in Germany, including attacks with vehicles or knives, requires police vigilance and responsiveness, potentially stressing resources like patrol vehicles. However, the material conditions of those vehicles are not described[3].
The GdP has voiced concerns about hundreds of dilapidated police stations, with century-old toilets, mold, pests, broken heaters, and holes in the roofs being common issues[4]. The deficiencies in patrol vehicles include torn seats, broken gear shifts, and high mileage[6].
Husgen argues that federalism should be rolled back in some areas, such as digitization, for a functioning police force. The union is calling for a special fund for internal security to address these deficiencies[7]. The union representative states that there is an investment backlog in the double-digit billions for the police real estate in Germany[8].
The planned increased investments by the federal government for the federal police are deemed insufficient by the union representative[9]. Husgen finds the current conditions embarrassing and shameful for the police, and he calls for more support from the federal government for the states to address these deficiencies[10].
While there is clear evidence of psychological strain on German police and increasing operational pressures, no concrete data or official measures regarding the physical state of police stations or vehicles and specific proposals for improvements emerge from these results. Additional or more specialized sources would be necessary to clarify the status and planned measures for police infrastructure and patrol vehicle conditions in Germany.
[1] https://www.forschungsdaten-portal.de/de/datensatz/10.1186/s13691-020-01327-w [2] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bundesregierung-will-mehr-polizeikraft-in-bundeslandern-a-866223.html [3] https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/polizei-bundestag-101.html [4] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/polizei-in-deutschland-verfallen-lokale-stationen-a-1261900.html [5] https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2021-03/polizei-bundesregierung-polizei-in-bundeslandern-rechtsextremismus [6] https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/polizei-in-bundeslandern-verfallen-lokale-stationen-a-1.15024657 [7] https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article212210862/Polizei-in-Deutschland-Verfallen-lokale-Stationen.html [8] https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article212210862/Polizei-in-Deutschland-Verfallen-lokale-Stationen.html [9] https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/polizei-bundestag-101.html [10] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/polizei-in-deutschland-verfallen-lokale-stationen-a-1261900.html
The calls for the improvement of police stations and patrol vehicles in Germany have grown louder, with the German Police Union (GdP) advocating for a special fund for internal security. The GdP highlights that the deficiencies in these areas include dilapidated structures, broken equipment, and high mileage, which poses health risks to police personnel and may impact their performance in the face of rising operational challenges.
