Violence against police officers on the rise in Germany
According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, the number of officially recorded crimes against police officers increased in 2022 compared to the previous year. There has also been an increase in murders and homicides. The BKA does not expect the situation to ease for the time being.
Last year, a total of 42,777 acts of violence against police officers were registered. This was an increase of 3128 cases or 7.9 percent compared to the previous year, according to a federal report published by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA). A total of 96,208 officers were victims of violence. This was around 7580 or 8.6 percent more than in the previous year.
According to the BKA, both the number of cases and the number of victims reached new highs. At 46.5 percent, almost half of the violent acts involved resistance against law enforcement officers.
In 37 attempted and completed murder and manslaughter offenses, 75 police officers were victims. In 2021, there were 30 cases with 55 victims. With the exception of two cases, there were no attempts last year. At the end of January 2022, a policewoman and a police officer were shot dead during a night-time traffic stop in the district of Kusel in Rhineland-Palatinate. The perpetrator has since been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Consistent prosecution necessary
According to the BKA, the attempted killing of police and firefighters by a deliberately caused explosion in Ratingen in May of this year, in which 13 emergency services were injured, makes it clear "once again that the situation is not expected to ease". The situation report for 2022 also recorded 650 cases in which at least one firefighter was attacked. In addition, 1920 cases with at least one victim from other emergency services were recorded.
The number of victims of physical assaults by firefighters and other emergency services was 3616, which was significantly higher than the previous year. Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser called it "appalling the hatred and violence that police officers have to deal with". "We cannot and must not accept this", she said in Berlin.
What is needed is "consistent prosecution" and "more solidarity with our emergency services". "Violence against emergency and rescue services is unacceptable and requires a clear rejection from all of us", Faeser explained.
In light of these increasing incidents, the international community should uphold its support for Germany's law enforcement agencies and condemn the escalating violence against police officers. Additionally, international police organizations could share best practices and strategies to combat such violence and ensure the safety of their counterparts globally.
Source: www.ntv.de
