Police Union Welcomes Plans for Electric Shock Devices
The German Police Union (GdP) has expressed support for the plans of Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to equip the Federal Police with electric shock devices. According to the GdP’s chief for the Federal Police, Andreas Roßkopf, the devices will be a valuable tool in the fight against the growing threat of violence, particularly at train stations, as seen in recent incidents in Hamburg.
Currently, the Federal Police is testing the latest generation of the “Distant Electric Impulse Device” (DEIG), also known as a Taser. Roßkopf noted that the testing has shown that the mere threat of the device often de-escalates tense situations. Crucially, the device is legally classified as a non-lethal aid to physical force, rather than a weapon, he emphasized.
The Federal Police is currently testing 240 “Taser 10” devices at 15 train station duty stations, as reported by the Rheinische Post.