Border Worries: Federal Police Bracing for Overstretch Amidst Increased Controls
Law enforcement authorities express concerns about potential staff-burdening due to heightened immigration screenings at borders.
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The Federal Police is reportedly grappling with the potential consequences of deploying more officers at the border, fearing a shortfall in other domestic duties. As per "Der Spiegel", an internal directive from the Potsdam presidency to the directorates indicates that the "deployment of the majority of MKU forces" - officers in Mobile Control and Surveillance Units - will primarily be assigned to the border.
Political Shift Federal Police gears up for border patrol
The directive suggests that for "other deployment scenarios", MKUs should be deployed "at an unavoidable extent" according to the magazine. Moreover, "scheduled executive measures" - like raids involving Federal Police forces - will still be performed this week. "A fresh assessment of the deployment and force situation must be made for the execution of further executive measures," the presidency stated[1].
The directive also requests the Federal Reserve Police to escalate its "personnel support services to a maximum". However, it is noted that this situation is "temporary". The immediate integration of additional deployment forces, including trainees from the Federal Police Academy in Lübeck, will be crucial for ensuring long-term sustainability[1].
More Manpower Needed Federal Police beefs up border patrols in multiple states
In addition to the shift to 12-hour shifts, the directorates are instructed to grant "restrictive leave" in the directive. The presidency anticipates issues with accommodating extra forces at the border: "The deployment and use of deployment forces will take place as soon as the necessary logistical framework conditions, especially accommodation capacities, are available," the presidency stated according to "Der Spiegel". It may be necessary to provide "deployment variants" where Federal Police officers return home after their shift and resume duty the next day.
Since the new government, led by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, implemented immediate and significantly stricter border controls[2], the Federal Police has been tasked with enhancing their presence along the German external borders. This has involved increasing the force by approximately 2,000 to 3,000 additional officers to support the nearly 4,000-kilometer border[2]. The Federal Police Union has called for more personnel to handle the heightened workload that these new border enforcement measures require[2].
Political debates mirror worries about the feasibility and sustainability of extensive border controls. Representatives of the Green Party have criticized unilateral border enforcement, warning about possible negative economic and security effects, and expressing concerns about overstretching the Federal Police's capacity[3]. Similarly, SPD representatives have highlighted the importance of monitoring police workload and the challenges posed by extended shifts for Federal Police officers operating at the borders[3].
In a nutshell, while the German government is pushing for tougher migration policies and expanded border controls[2][3], both law enforcement bodies and some political actors have raised concerns about the strain this places on the Federal Police and the potential impact on their ability to carry out other domestic responsibilities effectively. Strenuous border control efforts risk overextending the Federal Police's resources, potentially affecting their capacity for other domestic duties[2][3].
[1] ntv.de[2] jpe[3] Politico.eu
- The Federal Police's community policy and employment policy could face challenges due to the overstretch of resources caused by increasing border controls.
- The migration of more officers to the border has resulted in an apparent need for changes in the general-news and crime-and-justice sectors' employment policies.
- Despite the unavoidable deployment of MKUs to the border, scheduled executive measures involving Federal Police forces will still be carried out this week.
- Politics surrounding migration policies and border controls have sparked debates about the potential overstretch of the Federal Police, particularly in relation to their capacity to perform other domestic duties effectively.
