The volume of overtime hours worked by the German Federal Police has seen a significant increase since the implementation of stricter border controls. According to a report by “Der Spiegel”, citing a response from the Interior Ministry to a parliamentary inquiry, the total number of overtime hours reached 2,775,132 at the end of May, rising to approximately 2.9 million by the end of June – a surge of roughly 20 percent.
Data from a government response to a detailed inquiry from the Left party revealed that the force accumulated 2,422,789 overtime hours by the end of April 2024, prior to the intensified border control measures initiated on May 8th. The figures had previously declined at the beginning of the year before stabilizing.
The heightened border controls have in some instances resulted in the scheduling of twelve-hour shifts and up to 4,000 additional personnel have been deployed to the borders. While the Interior Ministry attributes the increase in overtime hours “primarily” to factors beyond the border controls themselves, it has yet to offer a definitive explanation for the substantial rise.
Andreas Roßkopf, head of the Police Union representing the Federal Police, stated that the reported figures demonstrate the current approach to border controls is unsustainable. He emphasized the urgent need to adjust procedures, prioritizing personnel well-being and implementing measures to minimize the impact on staffing levels in the near future.