Police Commissioner warns of the impact of border controls

Berlin – Federal Police Commissioner Uli Grötsch laments the impact of the tightened border controls imposed by Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) on police forces. "What I've noticed is that because of the border controls, other things can no longer be done as necessary – exercises, for example," Grötsch told the "Rheinische Post" (online). "They're simply not happening. That's not possible." Grötsch added that the Federal Police can manage the border controls "because they've managed everything so far." But one has to ask the question: at what price? At the same time, the Federal Commissioner said that the burdens placed on officers are "enormously high." For him, the key question is "how to operate the border control points in such a way that the controls remain affordable for the Federal Police over a longer period of time, if possible." For him, it is a key concern "that there is a reasonable infrastructure so that these checkpoints can be operated properly. Water, sewage, electricity, toilets. That's a must," said Grötsch. "We've seen checkpoints that are really well equipped, but others that aren't. That shouldn't be the case."