LKA Lower Saxony strengthens international security: International delegation visits!

LKA Lower Saxony strengthens international security: International delegation visits!

On June 17, 2025, the time had come: the Lower Saxony State Criminal Police Office (LKA) received a delegation from the Collège Européen de Police (CEPOL) for the first time. This event not only served as a forum for professional exchange, but also underlined the central role of national security in the European context. Thorsten Massinger, the President of the LKA Lower Saxony, emphasized the importance of this cooperation, while Axel Brockmann, the State Police Chief, emphasized the importance of the international exchange of experiences.

The focus was on preventing and combating terrorism. During the one-day meeting, participants gained exciting insights into the financial investigations necessary to analyze and disrupt the flow of money into terrorist networks. Methods were presented, ranging from account analyzes and international payment reconciliations to close cooperation with banking supervision and customs investigations. Such initiatives are crucial when it comes to examining the structures of criminals and terrorists.

International exchange for more security

What is clear here is that experts from six different countries – including Lebanon, Morocco and Germany – are taking part in this collaboration. Topics such as hate crime, gender-based violence and digital investigation methods, such as analyzes on the dark web, were also on the agenda. It is also interesting that the LKA Lower Saxony has seconded an expert to CEPOL in order to promote the transfer of knowledge in this area. CEPOL, the European Agency for Police Education and Training, is based in Budapest and supports cross-border cooperation between EU police authorities.

But a lot is happening in the area of ​​security not only at the international level. Around 40,000 randomly selected people in Lower Saxony recently received mail from the LKA. This nationwide survey on security and crime complements the police crime statistics (PKS) and aims to also record the unreported crimes. Interior Minister Daniela Behrens emphasized the relevance of this survey for security issues. For the first time there is also the option to participate online, which is intended to simplify the process. The survey lasts a total of five weeks and focuses on sexual harassment.

Safety in focus

In 2024, the police in Lower Saxony had to be called out 32,545 times, and fortunately the number of cannabis offenses fell by more than 50 percent. This shows that security strategies, both local and international, are slower to bear fruit. A positive result of the survey also indicates increased trust in democracy and institutions, especially with regard to the police.

International security authorities and the exchange of information are essential to resolutely combating crime. The increasing focus on the Schengen Information System (SIS) to strengthen the security infrastructure in the EU is a further step in this direction. With new alerts specifically targeting terrorist activities, EU member states are better equipped to ensure the security of their citizens. After all, as has been clear for years, we also have to react to possible dangers that can arise from false identities - a problem that was also the focus of the last meeting.

Overall, it is clear that synergies between the various actors in security policy are on the rise, both nationally and internationally. Today's meetings and initiatives are crucial steps towards a secure future aimed at the well-being of citizens. The efforts of the LKA Lower Saxony are evidence that a good knack for security is also maintained locally.

Lueneburg current reports on the successful meeting during NDR informed about the nationwide survey, including in Lower Saxony. Also substantiated the European Parliament the need for information sharing to combat terrorism.