A day before the Berlin summit against youth violence, a conflict within the red-green-red coalition over the consequences of the New Year’s Eve riots came to light. Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) had to put into perspective the announcement she made a few days after the riots that she would procure 4,000 additional bodycams for the police and fire brigade on Tuesday after the Senate session.
“I offered that we start buying more bodycams,” said Spranger, announcing that he wanted to equip “the first radio vehicles” with camera technology. Spranger did not provide any information on how many devices she actually wants to get and what the timetable for the measure looks like.
She admitted that in order to implement her announcement, she would need further funds to be released by the House of Representatives. “I need extra money,” Spranger said. She referred to the pressure from the police and fire brigade for better equipment to protect emergency services from violent attacks.
Justice Senator Lena Kreck (left) reiterated her party’s skepticism about Spranger’s demands. “There are different views on this and we have to get in touch with each other,” said Kreck, referring to the government policy guidelines jointly drawn up by the coalition partners at the beginning of the legislature.
A decision on whether and how this will be further developed is still pending and we must continue to exchange views on that.”
Lena Kreck (left), Senator for Justice
These provide for a currently ongoing pilot project for the use of a total of 300 bodycams. “A decision on whether and how this will be further developed is still pending and we have to continue to exchange ideas,” explained Kreck. The Greens had previously signaled skepticism. Group leader Werner Graf told the Tagesspiegel that he didn’t believe in putting numbers out there during the election campaign.
The Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) jumped in with the Interior Senator. “The interior senator has a departmental responsibility,” emphasized Giffey and explained that the senate had agreed to hear the demands of the security authorities for better equipment – including bodycams. “I think it’s important that the interior senator can prepare an expansion within the scope of her departmental responsibility,” explained Giffey, but also did not name a number of devices to be procured at short notice.
Giffey invites you to a two-hour summit
On Wednesday, a summit convened by Giffey will discuss measures to combat youth violence. In addition to the responsible members of the Senate, the affected district mayors, the chief of police, the general public prosecutor, the integration officer of the state of Berlin and the head of the office of the state commission against violence and representatives of various social work areas will also take part.
According to Giffey, the measures should include consistent criminal prosecution, efforts to tighten the law at federal level and strengthening prevention in the city. She promised additional funds in the “multi-digit millions” that had not yet been anchored in the double budget and explained that Finance Senator Daniel Wesener (Greens) had signaled that they would be made available. From his administration, it was said that first suitable measures had to be identified to prevent outbreaks of violence – not the other way around.
Giffey took the opportunity to clarify: The summit, which was criticized by the Greens’ top candidate Bettina Jarasch, among others, was not a “flash in the pan, but the beginning of a process”. It was clear “that you can’t solve everything with a summit,” said Giffey, looking ahead to the two-hour meeting. The concerns have been dispelled, further meetings would follow, Giffey added.
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