Police | Brandenburg is getting 115 new patrol cars

New radio patrol cars are at the police central service in Wünsdorf. Photo: dpa/Jens Kalaene Special seats are installed in the Brandenburg police's 115 new patrol cars, which allow officers to sit comfortably even with a pistol and other equipment. Interior Minister Jan Redmann (CDU) symbolically handed over the keys to the first 66 VW Passat patrol cars to Police Chief Oliver Stepien in Wünsdorf on Friday. The remaining vehicles will be delivered in the coming weeks.

The Central Service of the Brandenburg Police (ZDPol) is located in Wünsdorf. From here, the patrol cars will be distributed throughout the country by the end of the year. The purchase cost a mid-single-digit million amount. It is “one of the largest overall purchases in recent years,” explained Redmann. “This shows that we are consistently continuing to renew the police fleet.”

Brandenburg has a total of around 340 patrol cars. Since colleagues spend a lot of time in the vehicles, modern and comfortable equipment is essential, said Redmann. ZDPol deputy director Bianca Rogalinski added that the experiences and needs of officers in patrol duty were incorporated into the design of the interior.

"To cite young people's demonstrations in the same breath as state-directed terror is truly infamous."

On Wednesday, Minister Redmann opened a so-called 360-degree security center on the grounds of the police headquarters in Potsdam. In the future, current threats will be discussed at least once a week. Depending on the occasion, the police and the Ministry of the Interior want to ask the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the Bundeswehr and the fire and disaster control department to join in. To explain why this was necessary, Redmann mentioned the attack on the Jänschwalde power plant in September, the fight against drones and also the riots in France. The police want to be prepared in the event that clashes occur during educational protests in Brandenburg.

“To call demonstrations by young people in the same breath as state-directed terror is really infamous,” reacted the deputy left-wing state chairman Marek Lipp. »Instead of criminalizing possible protests by students and young people in Brandenburg before they even take place, it would probably be much more effective to take their concerns and suggestions seriously!«

For years there have been repeated demonstrations in Brandenburg for investments in universities, schools and daycare centers - always peacefully. The most effective way to combat protest is to eliminate its causes - not to set up police situation centers, said Lipp.

With us, no one has to pay to be informed. Sounds like a bad business model? It is too. But independent journalism and participation for everyone are more important to us than profit. Journalism still costs money: research, printing and all the people who do it. That's why we depend on you. We need 300,000 euros by the end of the year.

Donate once or regularly, every amount counts. So that nd remains.