25 years of cross -border police cooperation in Kehl

25 years of cross -border police cooperation in Kehl

In the heart of the town center, in the city of Kehl, there has been a remarkable Franco-German cooperation in the field of internal security for more than 25 years. In an inconspicuous open-plan office, not far from the Rhine, officials from the German federal and state police and customs meet to exchange data around the clock. This proven cooperation aims to ensure security on the border between Germany and France.

The foundation of the common center in 1999 was an important step. Maxime Fischer, the German coordinator of the facility, notes that this center was the pioneer in Europe. "There was no comparable center before," he explains. Today there are around 60 such facilities all over Europe, and the importance of cross -border cooperation is highly valued by those responsible. Alain Winter, his French colleague, formulates the goal of this cooperation: "The border should disappear for our work."

50,000 data inquiries per year

Last year, the center recorded over 21,000 inquiries that came from the German side and estimates that around 50 of the data inquiries that are relevant to the data are processed every day. This information is of central importance for the security authorities, since they primarily take care of small and medium -sized crime cases. But even in large security -relevant situations, such as the arson attacks on French railways shortly before the Olympic Games in Paris, the center plays an important role.

The inquiries are varied. A typical example is the theft of a caravan with a GPS location device. In such cases, the police are alerted in Germany, which then contacts the French authorities directly via the center to initiate a search. Fischer describes another exciting case: “We had the kidnapping of a child. The license plate of the father car was the only clue, and thanks to the close contact between the authorities we were able to act together.”

challenges and reforms

In recent years, the geographical reference to inquiries has changed. Winter reports that inquiries now also exist from distant regions such as Martinique. This shows that the challenges are no longer limited to the border region. Against this background, the interior ministries of both countries negotiate a reform of the 1997 Mondorf Agreement, which regulates the cooperation between the police and customs. Fischer describes this contract as outdated and emphasizes the need to extend cooperation to the entire territory.

The linguistic barriers, which have often been an obstacle in the past, are no longer a problem in Kehl. The employees of the center are trained in both German and French. Winter proudly says: "Here you speak French and German." This enables efficient communication and smooth cooperation between the Franco-German authorities.

Working in the common center is a prime example of successful cross -border cooperation. The continuous adaptation and reform not only promote security at the border, but also strengthen the trusting partnership between Germany and France. It remains to be seen how this important cooperation will be shaped in the future, but its influence on cross -border security is undeniable.