Reform of the criminal investigation department - Police to become more effective
One year ago, the announced organizational reform of the Rhineland-Palatinate Criminal Police was taken a significant step further: The five regional police presidiums in Mainz, Koblenz, Trier, Kaiserslautern and Ludwigshafen have completely restructured, as a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry in Mainz explained.
The goal is to improve responsiveness in the face of growing digitalization and internationalization and to become more future-oriented. Cybercrime, international gangs, and massive data mountains were cited by Interior Minister Michael Ebling (SPD) at the announcement in March 2023 as reasons.
The new structures in the five presidiums are organized according to crimes on the one hand and criminal groups on the other hand. There are now specialized commissariats for cybercrime. In addition, there is a Cybercrime Task Force, which is intended to support police departments on site in serious security incidents.
"Modern crime fighting requires the effective concentration of organizational structures," said Ebling. "Larger organizational units can react better to peak loads and follow flexible new focus areas." Seven regional commissariats are intended to drive this approach outside of urban areas. These new outposts are in Alzey, Bitburg, Germersheim, Landstuhl, Remagen, Simmern, and Westerburg.
The Police Union (GdP) sees "opportunities and risks" in the organizational development. "Under the surface, there is often not enough personnel to carry out police tasks appropriately," criticized the deputy GdP Landesvorsitzende Sven Hummel.
Michael Ebling, the Interior Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, announced the reasons for the organizational reform of the Criminal Police in March 2023, citing cybercrime, international gangs, and massive data mountains as key factors. This reform resulted in the complete restructuring of the five regional police presidiums in Mainz, Koblenz, Trier, Kaiserslautern, and Ludwigshafen.
Ebling emphasized that modern crime fighting requires the effective concentration of organizational structures. To address cybercrime, specialized commissariats have been established in the restructured presidiums. Additionally, a Cybercrime Task Force has been established to support police departments in serious security incidents.
This organizational change also includes the creation of seven regional commissariats in rural areas to drive this approach outside of urban centers. These new outposts are located in Alzey, Bitburg, Germersheim, Landstuhl, Remagen, Simmern, and Westerburg.
However, the Police Union (GdP) has expressed concerns about the organizational development. Deputy Landesvorsitzende Sven Hummel criticized a possible lack of sufficient personnel to carry out police tasks appropriately, citing "opportunities and risks" in the new structures.
Despite these concerns, the Police presidium in Coblenz, led by a new director, is pressing forward with these new structures, aiming to improve responsiveness and become more future-oriented in the face of growing digitalization and internationalization.
