Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, supports EU member states and Schengen Associated Countries in the management of the EU’s external borders and the fight against cross border crime. Frontex is EU’s largest agency, with more than 1, 000 staff in the headquarters, 19 ongoing operations and more than 2,400 Standing Corps officers…
Membership in the European Union (EU) is associated with many conveniences. However, being part of the EU also means taking responsibility for securing its external borders. The undertaking of “securing the EU’s external borders” turns out to be a complex, dynamic and sometimes controversial task. The EU states are committed to a common border. Consequently,…
A joint Europol operation lead by Rumania and Bulgaria seized 1 621 weapons, 24 735 rounds of ammunition, and explosives. Investigators confiscated former signal weapons that had been modified to shoot live ammunition. As the supply of lethal weaponry is declining within European borders, criminals and criminal organizations resort to transforming alarm and signal weapons.…
In Lower Saxony, police chiefs should no longer be political officials in the future. This is the goal set by the new Minister of the Interior, Daniela Behrens (SPD). In the future, the heads of authorities are to be career civil servants. It would then no longer be possible to transfer them to temporary retirement…
In Austria, police are likely to be given more investigative options in cyber crime cases in the future. In addition, the penalties for hackers are to be increased. At least, that is the intention of a draft law that was recently submitted for review. According to the bill, hackers will be punished with up to…
The Saarland Ministry of the Interior hopes to relieve the pressure on its police staff by giving specialists and investigative assistants longtime contracts and hiring new ones. As of Jan. 1, 2023, Interior Minister Reinhold Jos (SPD) made eleven positions in the state police force permanent. In addition, nine permanent positions are currently advertised. The…
Uli Grötsch (SPD), a member of the Bundestag, is to become the new Federal Police Commissioner. The creation of the position is agreed in the coalition agreement of the so-called “traffic light” government. However, the reform of the Federal Police Act is stalling. Nothing has yet been introduced in the German Bundestag. However, there is…
In the Schengen Information System (SIS), the security authorities of the Schengen countries share information on searches for persons and objects in the European Union (EU). Germany is responsible for about 15 percent of the enquiries. All 27 EU member states participate in the Schengen Information System (SIS II). In addition, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and…
Despite all the technical progress, physical activities are and will continue to be part of the police profession. It is therefore the people’s right to demand a certain level of physical fitness from their public servants in uniform. Consequently, regular exercise and a healthy diet should be a natural part of the lives of police…
The police helicopter squadron of the state of Baden-Württemberg undertook more missions in 2022 than in the previous year. The number of flying hours also increased. Almost half of the missions took place at night. The aircraft took off for a total of 2,336 police missions in 2022 (2021: 2,190). The pilots flew a total…