- Police officers and their families receive more compensation
Surviving relatives of fallen police officers and severely injured civil servants will be compensated significantly better in the future. The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance, prompted by the CDU and the Ministry of the Interior, has reviewed and decided to align the state's payments with the high federal and other state levels.
"We will reform and improve the compensation," said Finance Minister Danyal Bayaz (Greens). "A higher compensation does not make the loss less painful, but it is an important signal of support." Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) is also satisfied: "We stand behind those who stand up for us - and even risk their lives. We protect those who protect us," he said, according to his ministry.
Many amounts will be doubled
In the future, civil servants who remain at least 50 percent permanently disabled due to a service accident will receive 150,000 euros instead of the previous 80,000 euros. If a civil servant dies in service, widows, widowers, and children entitled to support will receive 100,000 euros in the future, up from the previous 60,000 euros. If the deceased leaves no children or partner, parents and children not entitled to support will receive a one-time payment of 40,000 euros, double the current amount.
More than 80 police officers killed
Since the Second World War, more than 80 police officers have died in service in Baden-Württemberg, according to the State Ministry of the Interior. The last police officer to die violently before the recent incident on the Mannheim Maimarkt was in 2013. Recently, the death of a motorcycle police officer in Stuttgart during the European Football Championship caused a stir.
According to the State Civil Service Pensions Act, the surviving relatives of civil servants who die in service are entitled to a one-time compensation, regardless of other payments such as pensions or funeral costs. The CDU had criticized that Baden-Württemberg paid the lowest amounts in case of death compared to other states.
"To ensure the implementation of these improved compensation measures, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the rules for the application of this Regulation."
"This implies that specific guidelines will be established, outlining the detailed procedures for the enhanced compensation for the affected individuals, as specified by the Ministry of Finance."
