The security apparatus surrounding the German Chancellery faces a significant expansion and potential funding challenges, according to the Police Union (GdP). Andreas Roßkopf, the GdP’s federal police division chairman, has publicly asserted the urgent need for a substantial increase in Bundespolizei (federal police) personnel to safeguard the Chancellery complex, suggesting a requirement exceeding 100 additional officers.
The impetus for this proposed bolstering of security stems from a major expansion project underway at the Kanzlerpark, the government’s central administrative hub. Scheduled for completion in 2027, the new construction necessitates heightened security measures even during the build phase. Roßkopf emphasized that the completion of the project will invariably demand a further, considerable increase in security staffing.
The GdP is also highlighting the financial implications of this expansion. Roßkopf cautioned that the permanent establishment of these additional positions would require supplementary funding, a prospect that would otherwise force cuts in other areas within the federal police budget. Currently, approximately 300 Bundespolizisten are deployed to ensure security at the Kanzleramt. The projected increase in personnel would entail personnel costs nearing €8 million annually, the allocation of which is reportedly under discussion.
This situation casts a spotlight on the ongoing debate surrounding resource allocation within German security agencies. The call for increased personnel also raises questions about the prioritization of security investments and the potential strain on existing budgets, particularly as federal authorities grapple with a host of other domestic and international concerns. The effectiveness and scope of these security reinforcements will likely become a focal point as the construction progresses and the new Chancellery complex comes online.
