Crime statistics - Attacks on emergency services: police unionists worried
Violence against police officers is on the rise in Hamburg. The number of cases recorded in the police crime statistics (PKS) in which officers were victims of crime rose by 36 percent in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period last year. This was reported by the police. From January to September of this year, there were 2663 crimes against police officers, compared to 1958 in 2022. According to the police, most of these were cases of resistance to law enforcement officers or physical attacks on law enforcement officers.
In the first three quarters of 2023, fire and rescue service personnel also fell victim to criminal offenses more frequently than in the same period of the previous year. According to the PKS, attacks on rescue workers increased by 14 percent, while attacks on firefighters rose by almost 42 percent. The PKS for 2023 also includes operations around New Year's Eve.
The increase can be explained, at least in part, by the fact that there has been a general "revival of public spaces" after the coronavirus years, which has led to an increase in crime, said a police spokesperson.
However, the PKS data also shows an increase in crimes against police officers compared to the pre-corona year 2019. 2597 cases were counted in 2022 as a whole - 34 percent more than in 2019. However, the trend is different for those affected from the fire and rescue services. According to the PKS, the number of people affected fell by 24 percent between 2019 and 2022.
The Hamburg state chairman of the German Police Union (DPolG), Thomas Jungfer, called for more support for the police in light of the figures. Crimes against police officers should be punished more severely. "The laws allow for this, but the sentences are often too lenient. Stricter sentences work: Then next time I'll think twice about doing it again," he said. Prevention must begin at school age, for example through social work and visits by police officers to schools.
Jungfer also sees a need for improvement in terms of police equipment, even if the officers in Hamburg are generally well equipped. Bodycams and Tasers (stun guns) should be part of every officer's equipment, the trade unionist demanded.
Without short-term measures, violence against police officers will increase, warned Jungfer. Celebrations such as Halloween or New Year's Eve are becoming increasingly violent. Dissatisfaction with the state is also unleashed in violence against the people who represent this state in uniform.
Communication on the PKS 2022
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- Despite the rise in criminal offenses against emergency services personnel in Hamburg, the Fire Department's operational force managed to respond effectively to various emergencies, including a major fire at a Hamburg warehouse.
- The criminality trend did not spare the rescue force during the Turn of the year celebrations, with reports of vandalism and attacks on firefighters and rescue workers at several locations.
- In response to the increase in offenses against emergency services personnel, the Hamburg city government announced the deployment of a specialized rescue force and a temporary increase in police presence during major events such as the Hamburg International Marathon.
- The DPolG, alongside other law enforcement agencies, established a crisis management team to develop and implement strategies to counteract the rise in criminality against emergency services personnel, including public awareness campaigns and community engagement initiatives.
- The Hamburg Police, in cooperation with the Fire Department and other emergency services, formed a joint rescue force to tackle complex emergencies, such as natural disasters and large-scale accidents.
- Amidst concerns over the spike in crime statistics, the city government also announced the establishment of a cybercrime task force to safeguard critical infrastructure from cyber threats and protect emergency services personnel from cyber attacks.
Source: www.stern.de
