The Public Sector Union, the German Police (GdP), has warned of significant strain and staffing shortages at the Federal Police if the country’s borders are to be more closely monitored in the near future. “Already now, we have deployed hundreds of colleagues from the readiness police to the border controls. Additional reinforcements would further strain the readiness police” said GdP regional head for the Federal Police, Andreas Roßkopf, to the “Rheinische Post” (Monday).
Hundreds of additional police officers would then have to carry out border controls and might be absent from other events, warned Roßkopf. “If the reinforcements were so enormous that the Federal Police were to enter the red zone, it would certainly only last for a short time. This would go against the purpose and objective.”
The police union representative also called for “a rapid expansion of the Federal Police to a modern border police force.” Roßkopf said: “The Federal Police’s border inspections urgently need the latest technology in law enforcement.” Specifically, he mentioned drones, modern fast-flying vehicles and flexible border control points in the form of containers and modules. The newly appointed Federal Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), had previously announced that no borders would be closed, but they would be more closely monitored immediately after his assumption of office.