The Federal Police (Bundespolizei) executed 22,454 outstanding arrest warrants throughout 2024, averaging 61 daily, according to a newly released annual report. This figure underscores a significant operational burden on the agency, stretching resources thin across a series of complex and often conflicting demands.
President of the Federal Police, Dieter Romann, characterized the ongoing UEFA European Championship hosted in Germany as the largest deployment in the agency’s history, requiring up to 22,000 officers simultaneously at railway stations, borders and venues. While the championship concluded successfully, the sheer scale of the operation raises questions about the long-term sustainability of such intense deployments and the potential impact on routine policing duties.
Beyond football, the Federal Police provided security support for the Olympic Games in Paris and implemented intensified border controls along all land borders from September 16, 2024, responding to a heightened migration situation. These heightened controls demonstrably impacted irregular border crossings, reducing them by 34.5% to 83,572 cases and significantly lowering human trafficking incidents. Overall identification of wanted persons increased by over 21% to 285,681.
While the report highlights a nearly 19% reduction in total recorded offenses – primarily attributed to decreased violations of the Residence Act – a troubling counter-trend has emerged. Instances of violent crime, sexual offenses and property crimes have all increased. This divergence suggests that while targeted suppression efforts have proven effective in specific areas, the underlying societal factors contributing to these more serious crimes remain unaddressed.
The Federal Police also assisted in the deportation of 22,234 individuals obligated to leave Germany. This aspect of the agency’s work is likely to face continued scrutiny regarding legal processes and potential human rights concerns.
The annual report serves as a stark reminder of the increasingly multifaceted pressures on German law enforcement, juggling large-scale event security, border control, deportation procedures and a worrying uptick in violent crime despite overall crime rate reductions. The data also prompts a vital discussion on resource allocation and whether current policing strategies are effectively addressing the nuances of contemporary criminal trends, or if a more holistic approach prioritizing preventative measures is required.