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Dilapidated chaos: Union is looking for the worst police building in the southwest!
The DPolG is looking for the most dilapidated police building in the southwest in order to draw attention to their grievances. Urgent renovations are necessary.
Dilapidated chaos: Union is looking for the worst police building in the southwest!
In recent weeks, a serious topic has been hotly debated in the police force in Baden-Württemberg: the dilapidated conditions of many police buildings. The German Police Union (DPolG) has launched an extraordinary campaign in which it is looking for the “most dilapidated service building” in the southwest. The head of the state, Ralf Kusterer, has already publicly pointed out that some of the buildings are in such poor condition that they should actually be closed. Initial reports of unsustainable conditions, such as rats in the yard, water damage and mold on the walls, make it clear that there is really something to it. There are also makeshift showers, which make the conditions anything but pleasant for the officers, as the Borkener Zeitung reports.
The search for the most dilapidated building will run until the beginning of July, and the aim of this campaign is to raise public awareness of the poor conditions of the service buildings. Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) is accused of violating his duty of care, while many urgently needed construction measures have been planned for years but have not yet been implemented. The DPolG estimates that over 100 million euros will be needed for the renovation in Baden-Württemberg alone, which will be exacerbated by significant price increases. Urgent roof renovations and other necessary structural measures are being delayed, and the topics of accessibility, air conditioning and digitalization are also neglected.
A look beyond the borders
However, the problems are not only limited to Baden-Württemberg. A comparison with other federal states shows that the situation in Lower Saxony is also serious. According to the reports on Niedersachsen.de there is a need for renovation of around 353 million euros. The Ministry of Finance in Hanover confirmed this in response to a request from the CDU in the state parliament. Because of the high costs and external influences such as a shortage of skilled workers and material bottlenecks, these measures can only be addressed gradually. CDU parliamentary group leader Sebastian Lechner has described the disproportionate conditions as unreasonable for police officers and is pushing for cooperation with investors to find the necessary funds for rentals. This puts a strain on the police budget and reduces resources for operational police work.
An example of this misery is the PD Nord police station in Magdeburg, which has been repeatedly recognized as the worst office building in Germany. There, officials are struggling with crumbling plaster, leaky windows and soaked walls. Interior Minister Holger Stahlknecht has promised to renovate or rebuild the building over the next four years, while Deutschlandfunk reports on other dilapidated police stations in Saxony-Anhalt. Materials contaminated with pollutants have even been discovered here that can cause respiratory problems, making the situation even worse.
What will be the next steps? Given that the DPolG and politicians can no longer ignore the dilapidated conditions, serious efforts to improve the infrastructure are urgently needed. It is in everyone's interest that officers can work in a safe and healthy environment. The situation is more than just an alarm sign - it is a clear sign that decisive action must be taken.