After a fatal incident on a regional train in Landstuhl, Jochen Kopelke, the national chairman of the German Police Union, has called for a major boost to both federal and state police forces.
“I am looking at the concerns of railway staff, passengers and the police themselves” he told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group in their Thursday editions. “The federal government, together with the conference of interior ministers and the conference of transport ministers, must immediately convene, discuss and decide on measures”.
The Federal Police, which are responsible for safety at railway stations, have reportedly been awaiting reinforcement for months.
Kopelke noted that the police are heavily engaged in border controls, making additional capacity especially urgent. He is demanding an immediate programme for all police agencies. He argues that with the addition of 14 new units for the federal and state police, the country could deliver security that is “effective, punchy, and flexible” across the entire Federal Republic.
