- The head of the DG proposes incentives for the supply of knives
The Police Union (GdP) proposes encouraging owners of dangerous knives to surrender their weapons through an amnesty regulation and material incentives. "To make this measure effective, the federal government must create serious incentives for those who surrender," said GdP federal chairman Jochen Kopelke. "This could mean, for example, a year of Netflix for surrendering a banned butterfly knife." The high number of knife attacks is cause for concern and necessitates swift action, said the GdP chief.
In Germany, certain stabbing weapons are generally prohibited. These include so-called butterfly knives and switchblades. Additionally, there are knives that are not generally prohibited but cannot be carried. Unless their use is related to professional training, cultural practices, sports, or serves a generally accepted purpose. Examples include knives with a one-handed locking blade or fixed-blade knives with a blade length of over 12 centimeters.
Kopelke also advocated long-term for simplifying the regulations on carrying knives in public. He said, "The current German weapons law is too complex to clearly regulate the use of knives."
Despite the ongoing issue of violent crime associated with certain knives, such as butterfly knives and switchblades, the German government's regulations allow for their possession under specific circumstances. However, to combat the rising number of violent crimes, the Police Union suggests incentivizing individuals to surrender prohibited knives, perhaps offering a year's subscription to Netflix as a reward.
