The number of overtime hours worked by the German Federal Police has risen sharply since the implementation of stricter border controls. According to a report in “Der Spiegel”, citing a response from the Ministry of the Interior to a parliamentary inquiry, the total reached 2,775,132 hours at the end of May and approximately 2.9 million by the end of June – a rise of roughly 20 percent.
Data from a government response to a detailed inquiry from the Left party reveals that the force accumulated a total of 2,422,789 overtime hours by the end of April 2024, prior to the heightened border control measures introduced on May 8th. Figures had previously declined at the beginning of the year, remaining relatively stable before the recent increase.
The measures have, in some cases, led to the implementation of twelve-hour shifts, with up to 4,000 additional personnel deployed along the borders. While the Ministry of the Interior attributes the surge in overtime hours “primarily” to factors other than the border controls themselves, it has not provided a specific explanation for the significant increase.
Andreas Roßkopf, head of the police union representing the Federal Police, stated that the figures demonstrate the current situation is unsustainable. He emphasized the need to operate the border controls in a manner that considers personnel limitations and minimizes strain in the near future.
