Digital registration platform: Better capture and fight violence against public service in Baden-Württemberg

Von Alexander Schneider

New positioning imaging instrument to combat violence in the public service in Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg has taken a crucial step to improve the security of his employees in the public service. Interior Minister Thomas Strobl presented the digital registration platform, which was developed as part of the research project "Inge" (positioning imaging instrument for experiences of violence in public service). The aim of this platform is to create a comprehensive image of physical and psychological violence against the approximately 600,000 employees in the public service and at the same time initiate targeted prevention measures.

In his speech, Strobl emphasized the outstanding importance of employees who perform important tasks for the community every day, be it in the police, fire brigades, in schools or health care. However, these positive contributions are increasingly overshadowed by aggressive and violent attacks, as the future -oriented statistics of police crime statistics (PKS) show that document an increase in victims of violence in recent years.

The innovative digital instrument enables a differentiated collection of violent incidents that have so far been insufficiently recorded. The platform has previously been successfully tested in two municipalities and will be used nationwide in Baden-Württemberg in the future. In addition, a prevention database is provided that contains over 80 different measures for violence prevention and which enables employees to search specifically for relevant information.

Minister Strobl explained that the project is not only regarded as a national solution, but also caused the interest of other countries who want to orientate themselves on the successful model.

The social effects of this initiative are complex. On the one hand, the digital registration platform is expected to increase the feeling of security among the public service employees and possibly lowers the inhibition threshold for reporting violent incidents. This could result in an honest picture of the actual violent relationships, which in the past has often been prevented by fear of stigmatization or reprisals.

On the other hand, the highlighted focus on violence against public service providers could also initiate a broader discussion about social norms and values. The increasing aggressiveness of these employees could be seen as an indicator of deeper social problems that not only affect the public service. It is possible that initiatives like this to a stronger awareness of the public for the challenges with which employees in the public service are confronted, as well as more respect and appreciation.

Overall, the introduction of this platform is a significant progress in the fight against violence and, if it is successfully implemented, can make a positive contribution to the security and protection of employees in the public service.