Federal Police Act: More powers in the fight against crime and illegal immigration
Federal Police Act: More powers in the fight against crime and illegal immigration
as “long overdue, but too short step for better protection of German limits against illegal immigration and improved crime and terrorist control at train stations and airports in Germany”, the police (GDP) union (GDP) evaluates the bill from the Bundestag on the reform of the Federal Police Act, which is already 30 years old. The GdP criticizes that the police have so far had hardly any legal options for accessing the online communication of smuggling gangs, even though smartphones, chat groups and online navigation systems are used by illegal entrants today. The reform of the police law should change this and give the federal police more powers in order to access the telecommunications data of suspects in the border area and to locate the location of cell phones. The draft law also stipulates that the federal police may use drones to take action against smugglers and extremists. The GdP also advocates the introduction of temporary residence bans or reporting requirements by the federal police to prevent crimes in certain locations. However, the introduction and use of modern search technologies such as facial recognition software is not taken into account and is assessed by the GdP as a massive gap. The union also criticizes the planned labeling obligation for police officers and the legal entitlement to a control receipt for controlled persons. However, the GdP warns that the planned Federal Police Act should be passed promptly to ensure a federal police capable of acting.
The police union (GdP) is the largest advocacy representative of Germany's police officers. She is committed to her over 205,000 members nationwide, for the future viability of the police and in the field of security and social policy.
The following table shows the planned changes to the Federal Police Act at an overview:
| Changes to the Federal Police Act |
| ———————————— |
| - enabling access to telecommunications data from suspects in the border area |
| - permission to localize cell phones with a judicial decision |
| - Use of drones to combat smugglers and extremists |
| - Introduction of temporary residence bans or reporting requirements by the federal police |
| - No consideration of modern search technologies such as facial recognition software |
| - Criticism of planned labeling obligation for police officers and legal entitlement to control receipt |
| - Request for adaptation of the law on the direct compulsion and the use of electro pulse devices |
It is important to ensure that the Federal Police Act is passed promptly to ensure a federal police capable of acting. A similar draft law failed three years ago because it intervened too far into the responsibilities of the federal states.
Historically, the Federal Police Act is already 30 years old and was adopted before the advent of modern communication technologies such as smartphones, chat groups and online navigation systems. The GdP argues that despite the technological progress, the police have hardly any legal opportunities to access the online communication of smuggling gangs. A reform of the police law is therefore urgently necessary to enable effective combating illegal immigration and crime.The planned changes to the Federal Police Act, such as access to telecommunications data from suspects in the border area and the permission to localize cell phones, can have a great impact on safety at German borders. By using drones to combat smugglers and extremists, the federal police receive another instrument to effectively perform their tasks.
The introduction of temporary residence bans or reporting requirements by the federal police can also help prevent crimes in certain locations. This is particularly relevant for major events in which violent football hooligans could arrive.
However, the GdP also calls for modern search technologies such as facial recognition software, which have so far been not taken into account in the draft law. This is considered a massive gap by the union, since these technologies can be used effectively in law enforcement.
The planned labeling obligation for police officers and the legal entitlement to a control receipt for controlled people are criticized by the GdP. The union argues that police officers have concrete indications of a suspect and control what has nothing to do with racism, but is based on police experience.
The GDP nevertheless relies on the fact that the planned Federal Police Act will be passed promptly to ensure a federal police capable of acting and to strengthen security in Germany.
Source: union of the police/ots