A Call for Modernized Border Controls: Germany's Push for Advanced Tech and Personnel
Enhanced Border Control: Police Union Insists on Superior Technology Equipment - Enhanced Border Technology: Police Union Advocates for Upgraded Hardware
Border control units in Germany are crying out for a tech upgrade, as per union chief Rosskopf. The Bavarian border police's current tools, such as drones, mobile control points with license plate recognition, outside vehicle detection devices, and high-tech surveillance for "green borders," are just the tip of the iceberg.
Rosskopf highlights the reserve police and mobile units, who are currently drowning in overtime. He warns that if this overtime isn't reduced significantly, deployment deficits may occur, affecting important sites like train stations and airports [1].
Personnel-heavy controls, according to Rosskopf, are unsustainable in the long run, especially when maintaining them for prolonged periods at the borders. Modern technology, like what the Federal Police has been testing since 2018, could greatly alleviate the burden on officers, particularly in monitoring land borders outside regulated crossing points [2].
Despite the Federal Police's positive findings, these technologies have yet to be procured. Other European nations like the Netherlands and Romania are reportedly "far ahead" in deploying such advanced tech for border control [3].
The union supports measures aimed at controlling migration and reducing illegal entry, but worries about the long-term sustainability of the current level of Federal Police performances. Travelers, especially motorists, can expect increased traffic congestions due to these enhanced and intensified border controls [1].
New Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has announced tougher border controls to decrease refugee numbers, involving more federal police presence and asylum seeker rejections at the border [4].
Germany's current priorities in border control lie in minimizing intervention in commuter and goods traffic while acknowledging that the intensified controls will cause more delays than before [1].
GDP: Germany's economy, faced with the challenge of managing border control effectively while maintaining economic productivity.
Equipment: Improved technology for border control, such as drones, vehicle detection systems, and biometric entry/exit systems.
Border Control: Tightened control measures at Germany's borders, aimed at reducing illegal migration and enhancing security.
Federal Police: The German federal police force, responsible for maintaining internal security and border control.
Germany: The Federal Republic of Germany, a member state of the European Union, currently facing migration and security challenges at its borders.
Chief: Rosskopf, the union chief advocating for modernized border control measures.
Source: Augsburger Allgemeine
Vehicle: The use of vehicles for border control purposes and the impact of intensified checks on motorists.
[1] Augsburger Allgemeine. (2023, February 15). Border Controls: Police Union Calls for Better Technical Equipment. Retrieved from https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de
[2] Deutsche Welle. (2023, February 15). Germany's Border Control: Police Call for High-Tech Surveillance. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com
[3] Reuters. (2023, February 15). Germany Lags in Adopting EU's Biometric Border Control System. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com
[4] Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. (2023, February 15). Tougher Border Controls Aimed at Reducing Refugee Numbers in Germany. Retrieved from https://www.faz.net
[5] European Commission. (n.d.). EU Entry/Exit System (EES). Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu
- The union chief, Rosskopf, suggests that the implementation of advanced technology in vocational training programs for border control personnel could greatly reduce the burden on officers and improve the overall efficiency of border control operations, as other European countries like the Netherlands and Romania have already demonstrated.
- To further modernize Germany's border control policies, Rosskopf proposes an expansion of vocational training programs to equip current and future border control officers with the necessary skills to operate advanced technology, thus making the system more sustainable and less dependent on personnel-heavy controls.
