Police - Ebling: Police applicant numbers are falling
The Rhineland-Palatinate police force is finding it increasingly difficult to recruit staff and new recruits. "The number of applicants has been falling for a few years now," Interior Minister Michael Ebling (SPD) told the German Press Agency in Mainz. "We are filling the positions and also the study places, but there has been a decline." This is not yet alarming. "But it could get worse in the near future."
That is why the state is pushing ahead with improving technical equipment, for example with new bodycams, distance impulse devices and helmets, improving the quality of police training and making changes to police work, such as the "Fighting crime of the future" project. Technology is also being made available for processing and recording reports and more employees are being recruited to relieve the workload.
"These are all measures designed to make the police profession more attractive," emphasized Ebling. In addition, the police profession is also being heavily advertised, including on social networks. "If we want to appeal to the youngsters, we have to be where they are."
It is clear that the Rhineland-Palatinate police force will need a lot of new personnel in the coming years. According to earlier information from the Ministry of the Interior, around 1,800 officers from the police force and more than 660 from the criminal investigation department are expected to retire over the next ten years. This forecast does not yet include unforeseen retirements due to incapacity, dismissal or death.
According to the state government's plans, a total of more than 10,000 police officers will be on duty in Rhineland-Palatinate next year. Including administrative staff, employees covered by collective agreements, trainees and apprentices, the total number of police officers is currently more than 14,000.
Read also:
- A clan member is punished here
- Traffic lawyer warns: Don't talk to the police!
- Will he be convicted as Jutta's murderer after 37 years?
- He also wanted to kill his cousin
Source: www.stern.de
