Germany: volunteer border police (1)
01 January 1991
Germany: volunteer border police
artdoc May=1993
The Federal Border Police have started testing electronic
surveillance systems (radar and infra red) along the borders with
Poland and the Czech Republic. They are also recruiting 1,600
volunteers to try and stop immigrants entering the country along
these borders. The volunteers will have a four week crash
training course - compared to 2 years for regular officers. The
mayor of Neugersdorf, near the Czech border, said this would give
`authority' to people turning back refugees: `This only
legitimises a practice that already exists'.
The recruitment of this new volunteer force comes after a
survey of a similar force in Berlin found that of 200 members
examined 89 had a criminal or rightwing background (including gun
smuggling and attacks on immigrants). The Berlin volunteer force
helps regular police with riot control and guards Jewish
memorials and hostels for refugees from attack.
Guardian, 17.2.93; Migration News Sheet, March 1993.
Statewatch vol 3 no 2 March-April 1993