Status: 03.10.2023, 21:02 p.m.
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The police lettering is on an emergency vehicle. © Christoph Soeder/dpa/Symbolbild
Berlin's Senator for the Interior, Iris Spranger (SPD), has long wanted more rights for the police. With its new coalition partner, the CDU, it can implement more of it than before with the Greens and the Left.
After lengthy negotiations, the Berlin coalition of CDU and SPD has agreed on a tightening of the police law. Important points were regulations on the use of so-called bodycams on police uniforms, cameras in police cars (dashcams), stun guns (tasers) and preventive custody, i.e. the precautionary imprisonment of suspected criminals in certain cases. The draft law on the Security and Order Act (ASOG), which is available to the dpa news agency, is now being discussed in the parliamentary committees and is then to be passed by the House of Representatives.
Changes are also planned in preventive custody. At the moment, the maximum duration is two days. In the future, it will be possible to detain people who are expected to commit serious crimes for up to five days by decision of a judge, and up to seven days in the case of suspected terrorists.
In addition, according to the draft, the increased use of bodycams by police officers and firefighters and also of cameras in the patrol cars, which film what is happening during operations. It should also be possible to film in apartments when it comes to warding off dangers for the people involved.
Stun guns, which have so far only been tested by some police officers, should be able to be used to a greater extent by the police. They are to be used so that police officers can protect themselves in the event of attacks without having to reach for a pistol directly. Tasers shoot small arrows: If they hit a person, they receive a current pulse that paralyzes them briefly.
The SPD domestic politician Martin Matz emphasized: "I believe that this is a good compromise that we have concluded. It's about making the work of the police and fire brigade easier overall, but at the same time keeping an eye on ensuring that citizens' rights are respected."
In the case of bodycams, for example, there is an agreement that those affected could also demand that a police officer turn on the bodycam. "We in the SPD consider this to be an important regulation. In case of doubt, this has a de-escalating effect on both sides." dpa