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Germany: PPP - Police-private partnership?

01 November 2005

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The German Federal Crime Police Authority (Bundeskriminalamt - BKA) is seeking more collaboration with internationally operating business to fight terrorism and organised crime, according to BKA president Jörg Ziercke. At the BKA's Autumn Conference in Wiesbaden on 3 November, Ziercke announced that the force was creating "new alliances" to fight crime, where companies operating abroad would help police collect intelligence, or even collaborate in locating "heroin smugglers at high sea". The plans are supported by business representatives, armed forces and the security service. Internet crime, Ziercke said, could only be fought with the help of providers, and he demanded that data be retained for one year. The federally organised BKA, he opined, should also receive more powers, which are currently located with regional states.

Internationally operating German businesses such as Siemens or the BASF have a long-standing working relationship with the BKA, particularly concerning ransom demands in cases of kidnapped employees in regions such as the Middle East or South America.

According to Ziercke, the police want to create long-term "security partnerships" and use the "knowledge" that businesses have gained through these experiences, particularly with their security departments and their "threat analyses".

The BKA has already started talks with firms such as VW, BASF and Daimler-Chrysler. Cooperation will not only intensify with private businesses but also with secret services, the armed forces and customs and excise.

Süddeutsche Zeitung 4.11.05; hr-online.de 3.11.05

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