Young people cause trouble: Mayor calls for security service!

Young people cause trouble: Mayor calls for security service!

In Leinfelden-Echterdingen, a group of young people between the ages of 12 and 16 have been causing increasing complaints on weekends in recent months. These range from noise to garbage to open disputes. FW city councilor Beatrix Hess reported incidents of trash cans being overturned, while Mayor Carl-Gustav Kalbfell told the Stuttgarter Nachrichten that the city was facing a serious “order issue.” Recently, one of the unusual features has been burning trash cans.[Stuttgart News]

The city administration has therefore already considered deploying a security service for the Neuer Markt, which is a popular meeting place for young people due to its shopping opportunities. The Greens also called for proactive youth work to tackle these problems. Unfortunately, similar difficulties also arose in Stetten on the bonus market. Christian Wörner, spokesman for the Reutlingen police headquarters, confirmed the complaints and mentioned that the police are regularly on site to hold discussions with the young people and, if necessary, issue expulsions. However, these are not crime hotspots, but rather youth-specific places that are particularly frequented in the warm months.

Acoustic solutions in use

In order to combat vandalism and unauthorized loitering, some European countries and German cities use noise emitters. These devices emit an acoustic signal in the frequency range of 16 to 18 kilohertz, which is mainly heard by teenagers and young adults up to around 25 years of age. In Freiberg am Neckar, two such systems have been installed at a primary school since March 2021 after repeated unauthorized access and massive vandalism were reported there.[Tagesspiegel]

The first assessment after the installation of these devices shows that incidents in the entrance area have decreased, although the problem of littering still exists. However, critical voices comment on the effectiveness of these measures. Representatives of the state working group for mobile youth work/street work see the noise emitters as socially problematic. The Baden-Württemberg Municipal Association for Youth and Social Affairs (KVJS) advocates actively involving young people in the design of public spaces instead of excluding them with such repression methods.

Reactions and alternatives

The managing director of Rhine Consulting Group BV, Donald van der Laan, emphasizes that such devices represent a solution to noise pollution and reports increased demand during the pandemic. In Rotterdam, residents can even activate the devices with a phone call for ten minutes to drive away younger people or influence their behavior. But the question of whether such technical strategies actually solve the existing problems or worsen them is also hotly debated in this country.[Augsburger Allgemeine]

Overall, it is clear that the challenges arising from the behavior of young people in public spaces are complex and require a broad discussion about suitable solutions. The city of Leinfelden-Echterdingen could be on the right track through targeted measures and the promotion of youth work to not only minimize the noise, but also involve the young people themselves.