The Police Union (GdP) responded cautiously to the SPD parliamentary group’s plan to reorganise security services at the railway. SPD insiders want to combine the private Deutsche Bahn security and the Federal Police at stations under a new “Central Object Protection Bahn”.
“Important details are still missing before we can make a final judgement on the SPD idea” said Andreas Roßkopf, GdP chairman for the Federal Police, to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. He pointed out that the paper does not adequately address many points. “What status will be created for the ‘new’ employees?” Roßkopf asked. “What precise job descriptions will be defined? Who will finance the initiative?” The rail company also has to take “its own measures to protect its property and, for example, enforce its right of possession” – a point that the paper neglects.
According to SPD insiders, security at the railway is currently “characterised by parallel responsibilities and overlapping roles of different actors”. In the paper the RND reports, it states: “Different standards, powers and responsibilities lead to coordination problems, friction, and an uneven level of protection”.
The Deutsche Bahn security and its subcontractors employ around 5,000 people in total. Additional security services are contracted by other railway companies and patrol local commuter trains, but these are not mentioned in the SPD paper.