A recent survey of federal police officers has revealed a significant level of burnout and exhaustion, with the majority of respondents stating that the current border control measures are unsustainable. According to the German Police Union (GdP), a staggering 70% of the over 2,000 officers surveyed reported that the prolonged border checks have reached a breaking point.
The union’s chairman for the federal police, Andreas Roßkopf, emphasized that the situation has not only reached a breaking point but has exceeded it for many officers. While the government has announced plans to deploy an additional 3,000 personnel to the borders, the union claims that this is an unrealistic goal.
The survey also revealed that nearly 77% of the respondents strongly rejected the idea of curtailing their vacation and duty leave and approximately 42% of the officers are currently working at full capacity, with only 18.7% describing their current situation as relaxed.
Roßkopf further emphasized that the demands on the federal police are not only excessive but also unrealistic, citing the need for more personnel, relief, better equipment and infrastructure, as well as more planning and predictability. He called on the government to take concrete steps to address these issues, rather than simply making promises.