North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul is advocating for a significant reduction in the workload shouldered by the state’s police force, suggesting a reassessment of routine tasks and potentially outsourcing certain responsibilities. In an interview with the Neue Ruhr/Rhein Zeitung (NRZ), Reul indicated a willingness to consider limiting police involvement in certain incidents, specifically questioning the necessity of officers documenting every traffic accident.
Reul’s proposal stems from a recognition of the mounting pressure on the police, citing ongoing demands for their services. He highlighted the continued accompaniment of heavy goods transports by police officers as an example of an outdated practice, arguing that the task could be readily handled by private security firms. Furthermore, Reul questioned the standard protocol of requiring police reports for all traffic accidents, raising the possibility of streamlining procedures.
While the Police Union (GdP) has welcomed the discussion as a necessary step towards alleviating the burden on officers, concerns remain regarding the potential impact on public safety and service quality. Patrick Schlüter, the GdP’s state chairman, acknowledged the need for relief but stressed the importance of a “careful balance”. He specifically pointed to the lengthy and outdated process for documenting accidents in North Rhine-Westphalia, contrasting it with the more efficient practices already implemented in other federal states like Bavaria, Hesse and Bremen.
Schlüter proposed the adoption of modern technologies, such as mobile applications, to simplify incident reporting and drastically reduce the administrative workload on officers. He also criticized the requirement that police respond to solo accidents, such as a cyclist falling and suffering minor injuries, questioning whether such interventions are truly essential. This debate underscores a growing political tension: balancing the need to free up police resources with ensuring adequate response and documentation regarding public safety matters and highlights a potential push towards privatization of certain law enforcement support functions.