Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) brings with Rainer Wendt probably the best-known policeman of Germany as State Secretary to Magdeburg. He will work in the state capital under Interior Minister Holger Stahlknecht (CDU).
"It is a great pleasure to have Rainer Wendt, one of the most knowledgeable and well-known representatives of the interests of our police and committed advocate for security in our country, as the new State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior of Saxony-Anhalt", explained Haseloff a press release.
The trade unionist Wendt is controversial. Until his retirement from the police service in 2017, he had spent part-time as a police officer for ten years, even though he was a full-time trade unionist. In addition, he was apparently promoted in 2010 without legal basis. In addition, he had, according to Interior Ministry in North Rhine-Westphalia for several years lucrative additional income not specified.
Politically, Wendt repeatedly caused displeasure. Despite falling numbers of violent crimes for years, one of his ongoing themes is the "loss of security" in Germany. With statements about crimes of foreigners he acted on the charge to represent right-wing populist positions. In his bestseller "Germany in danger" he criticized the state as too lax, he lashed out, among other things, "cuddly justice" and "fun education".
The trade unionist in Magdeburg is now following Tamara Zieschang, who will change to the Federal Ministry of Transport in December as State Secretary. Wendt is a member of the Federal Board of the German Civil Service and since 2007 Chairman of the German Police Union.