Tech-Savvy Border Patrol: German Union Pleads for Modern Equipment
Law Enforcement Union Advocates for Advanced Technology in Border Control operations - Enhanced Technological Resources Demanded by Border Police Union for Improved Controls
German border police could use a dash of modern tech, says union boss Roßkopf. He points to the use of drones, advanced license plate recognition, outer vehicle detection devices, and high-tech "green border" surveillance as essential tools lacking in their current arsenal. The union chief believes such equipment would not only improve their capabilities but also reduce workload, especially for reserve police and mobile units.
Overtime hours are piling up, warns Roßkopf. Persistent personnel-intensive controls are unsustainable for the long run. Border management is exhausting our forces, with critical deployment deficits looming if overtime isn't reduced.
Modern technology could significantly ease the burden of border officers tasked with monitoring the country's unconventional borders. The Federal Police has been evaluating such technology since 2018, yet little has been purchased. The union boss underscores that large, usually impassable stretches can be monitored exceptionally well with suitable technology.
While the union supports measures that efficiently manage migration and reduce illegal immigration, Roßkopf questions the longevity of the Federal Police's high-performance standards. He expects delays and inconveniences in cross-border traffic, including holidaymakers, due to stricter controls.
Alexander Dobrindt, the new Minister of the Interior, has announced stricter border controls to decrease refugee numbers. This involves increased federal police presence at the border and return of asylum seekers. Comparatively, European neighbors like France, Belgium, Italy, and Poland, utilize a mix of physical barriers, advanced technology, digital identity checks, and cooperation with neighboring countries for effective border management.
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The single goal is to minimize disruption to daily commuter and cargo traffic. However, stricter border controls will inevitably lead to delays and increased traffic congestion.
- The absence of modern technology in community policy, such as drones, advanced license plate recognition, outer vehicle detection devices, and high-tech surveillance, is a concern for the German border police union boss, Roßkopf.
- Roßkopf maintains that the implementation of vocational training programs for border officers to effectively operate and maintain this technology is essential to improve their capabilities and reduce workload.
- Despite the Federal Police evaluating such technology since 2018, little progress has been made in purchasing and integrating it into their operations.
- As Germany's position in managing its borders is compared to European neighbors like France, Belgium, Italy, and Poland, which effectively utilize a mix of physical barriers, advanced technology, digital identity checks, and cooperation with neighboring countries, there is a clear need for vocational training and modern equipment to keep up with the general-news of border control.
