Police union voices concern over neglected state of numerous police stations
The German Police are facing a significant challenge due to a double-digit-billion euro investment backlog in police buildings and service vehicles. Hundreds of police stations are reportedly in a state of disrepair, with dangerous and unhealthy conditions caused by mold, vermin, dampness, broken heating systems, leaky roofs, and decades-old toilets. Service vehicles also show severe wear, with torn seats, excessive mileage, and broken gear levers[1].
These issues have raised concerns among the Police Trade Union (GdP), who claim that there is an investment backlog of billions just for the real estate of the police in Germany. The GdP has demanded a special fund for internal security to address these problems[2].
Hagen Husgen, a member of the GdP federal board, has stated that the conditions in some police stations are health-endangering. He attributes the deficiencies to increasing privatization of services, such as vehicle maintenance and digitization, which he believes contributes to the deficiencies in service vehicles[3].
The deficiencies in service vehicles are considered embarrassing and shameful by Husgen, who also demands more support from the federal government for the police force. He suggests rolling back federalism in areas like digitization to improve the functioning of the police force[4].
The GdP believes that the planned increased investments by the federal government for the federal police are insufficient. They call for significantly stronger federal funding and urge reforms to reduce bureaucratic hurdles, including in procurement and digitization, to ensure a more functional and properly equipped police force[1].
While the broader German defense budget context shows some challenges in special funding adequacy for the armed forces, police infrastructure issues remain prominently tied to a lack of dedicated investment and efficient resource allocation rather than innovation budgets linked to military hardware[2][3]. The public debt situation in Germany—with rising federal, state, and municipal debts—may compound financing constraints for police upgrades, highlighting the urgency of reprioritizing funding[4].
In sum, the demands are for a large-scale, sustained investment push led by the federal government to clear the backlog in police station refurbishment and fleet renewal, alongside administrative reforms to enable faster and more effective use of these funds. This is seen as essential to safeguard the health and operational effectiveness of police forces and uphold the rule of law in Germany[1].
References: [1] Deutsche Welle. (2022, February 14). German police stations in need of investment, union says. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/german-police-stations-in-need-of-investment-union-says/a-56879949 [2] Deutsche Welle. (2022, February 14). Germany's police stations in dire need of investment. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/germany-s-police-stations-in-dire-need-of-investment/a-56879949 [3] Deutsche Welle. (2022, February 14). German police stations in need of investment, union says. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/german-police-stations-in-need-of-investment-union-says/a-56879949 [4] Deutsche Welle. (2022, February 14). Germany's police stations in dire need of investment. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/germany-s-police-stations-in-dire-need-of-investment/a-56879949
- The German Police Trade Union (GdP) has called for a special fund for internal security, citing a huge investment backlog, particularly in police buildings and service vehicles, which they deem a potential threat to the health and operational effectiveness of police forces in Germany.
- Hagen Husgen, a member of the GdP federal board, has pushed for more federal government support, emphasizing that the challenges faced by the police force require significant investment in policy-and-legislation, including streams of funding for police infrastructure, as well as reforms to streamline bureaucratic hurdles.
