The many gatherings in times of Corona are a challenge for the police.
To ensure that the demonstrations are peaceful, the officials rely on communication.
Because many people have a great need to speak.
Rosenheim
- In the past, says Johann Brumbauer, during demonstrations the ominous announcement boomed from somewhere from a loudspeaker: “Attention, attention!
This is where the police speak. ”That was a long time ago.
Instead, the officials in the area of responsibility of the Upper Bavaria South Presidium are now addressing them directly when they accompany demonstrations.
“We want to listen to people and talk to them on an equal footing,” emphasizes Brumbauer.
He is the head of the Bad Aibling police station (Rosenheim district) and the head of the presidium's negotiating group.
Corona demos in Bavaria: Police emphasize - "Want to listen to people and talk to them at eye level"
This group of specially trained officers appears whenever the police are communicating.
With perpetrators, for example kidnapping or hostage-taking.
But also with victims if an accident has occurred and those affected should find out how the police are going to proceed.
A sub-group currently appears particularly often: During demonstrations against the corona measures, communications officers accompany the event.
These officials existed before the pandemic.
The Presidium wants to rely even more on their communication skills at meetings in the future.
Police President Robert Kopp had explained this when he recently presented an interim balance sheet of the Corona operations of his officers (we have reported).
Police operations during corona demonstrations: Additional training takes one week
The additional training for the negotiation group lasts five weeks.
Anyone who is trained as a communications officer is trained for a week.
Teachers, psychologists and sociologists support the police.
Then it is about conducting a conversation, tones, facial expressions, gestures and the analysis of different situations.
“We take a close look at who is on the street.
Are these students at Fridays for Future?
Or are they aggressive groups? ”Explains Johann Brumbauer.
“And we're talking about our role in a demo.
We don't want to spoil the game, we want to protect the right to freedom of assembly. "
In addition to various communication techniques, the officers learn the most important tool: active listening.
“That comes first,” says Brumbauer.
Many people are reluctant to speak to the police.
The inhibition threshold is particularly high when it comes to the closed deployment trains in black overalls.
"My colleagues are also there in uniform, but their function is clearly recognizable with their yellow vests."
Corona demos: people's displeasure is growing - "population has become more critical"
We don't want to appear as spoilsport.
Johann Brumbauer
In fact, it is “an icebreaker, you can tell right away: okay, I can talk to him”.
And the need to speak of some citizens is great, many want to explain why they take to the streets.
In the ideal case, so Brumbauer, they recognize: "This is not the bad policeman, he listens to me and understands me."
Brumbauer and his colleagues understand the people who demonstrate.
“The topic affects everyone, including us civil servants, even in private life.
I would like to sit in the beer garden with friends again myself. ”You can tell, not only from the number of stakes, that displeasure is growing.
“The population has become more critical, the people tend to disagree.” Some are also looking for a conflict with the police.
“Most of them are there because of the matter.
The challenge is that we don't all lump together. "
Corona operations in Upper Bavaria: the police understand the demonstrators
Several police officers are currently available to the Upper Bavaria South Presidium as communications officers on call.
They are all volunteers, "no one is forced to do anything".
The requirement profile for this task: "You have to be communicative, have a clever demeanor and also present a little something."
It is also important that the person already has professional experience.
“The task is stressful, I have to say that honestly.
If I have to stand in front of 400, 500 people and talk, that also does something to a police officer. ”Nevertheless, he and his colleagues are happy to take on the task, says Johann Brumbauer.
"If we stopped talking, if we stopped listening: that would be fatal."
You can read more news from Bavaria here.
By the way: The most important stories from the Free State are now also available in our brand new, regular Bayern newsletter.
(By Kathrin Brack)