Falkensee relies on video surveillance against cemetery vandalism!

Falkensee relies on video surveillance against cemetery vandalism!

The city of Falkensee in the Havelland is considering better protection of the cemetery on Kremmener Straße. A spokeswoman for the city confirmed that the possibility of video surveillance was discussed. The background to these considerations is a unanimously adopted test mandate from the city council (SVV), which asks the administration to check the prerequisites for such surveillance. The aim is to protect the cemetery from further vandalism, whereby all data protection requirements must be observed, reports rbb24 .

The cemetery has often been the target of vandalism in the past, so that the site has been completed at night for more than two years. However, this measure did not lead to a reduction in the damage. A dramatic example is the fire of a hall in June of the previous year, in which lawnmowers and other devices worth more than 100,000 euros were destroyed. Unknowns violently opened the main gate and set fire to the hall, as Udo Appenzeller, spokesman for the "We for Falkensee" voter group, explained. Not only were plants and gravestones of the vandal file, but also garbage was always left on the premises.

response to vandalism

The SVV decided by mutual agreement for the test order after the incidents increased. "The problem has been manageable so far, but the large number of individual acts has tightened the situation," said Appenzeller. In order to deter future vandals, it is important to take preventive measures and to prevent the perpetrators from visiting the cemetery through observation pressure.

In addition, fixed opening times have already been introduced, which have been in effect since July 1, 2022. These are daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. to enable visitors to use the cemetery, as on the website of the city Falkensee can be read. This measure should also contribute to the containment of vandalism.

The cemetery administration also asks visitors for economical water consumption and informs about the office hours in which questions can be addressed directly to the administration. The regulations aim to make the cemetery more secure and respectful as a place of commemoration.