New search group in Görlitz: The fight against border crime begins!

New search group in Görlitz: The fight against border crime begins!

Security in Saxony will be tackled from October 2023, when the new “Border Search Group” (FGG) will start in the Görlitz police department. This group, consisting of twelve officers, has a clear goal in mind: combating cross-border crime, with a particular focus on theft and drug smuggling. The FGG is stationed in Seifhennersdorf, in the existing police station on Zollstrasse, from where the officers can be deployed flexibly throughout the Görlitz police department, as the Sächsische reports.

The officers are recruited primarily from the Görlitz and Bautzen districts and are used to commuting, which makes personal logistics easier. From November 1st, a similar group will also be set up in the Pirna police station to further strengthen general efforts to combat illegal immigration and border crime. Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster, who recently visited the border controls at the Görlitzer Stadtbrücke, emphasizes the importance of these measures and explains that, despite some concerns, the controls are the "toughest instrument" to combat these problems.

Security situation at the border

In the current discussion about security at the border, there are many voices who are in favor of continuing the controls. The SPD and FDP have expressed support for continued border controls, particularly with a view to the upcoming Olympic Games in France. Temporary border controls were used during the European Football Championship in Germany, and many politicians are calling for these measures to be maintained long-term until a solid system to protect external borders is achieved, according to a report by Deutschlandfunk.

Schuster recognizes the concerns of mayors in the region and argues for protecting people from the challenges of illegal immigration. Over the last few months, the number of arrivals in Saxon initial reception centers has fallen sharply - from 1,000 per week in September 2023 to just 100 per week. These developments show the importance of the measures, but also the need for a healthy dialogue about the best course of action.

European dimension

The mayor of Görlitz, Octavian Ursu, has expressed clear wishes: He advocates a European solution to avoid border controls. For example, even though the Schengen Agreement only provides for checks at internal borders as a last resort, statistics show that more than half of the 27 EU member states currently carry out such checks manually. In this area it becomes clear that there is a balancing act between national circumstances and European regulations.

The discussion also shows the different attitudes within the political landscape: While the Union and FDP rely on comprehensive controls, the Greens and the Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, reject an unlimited continuation. They emphasize that these controls are only temporary and intended as a last resort to ensure safety.

Let us look forward to noticeable progress in the fight against cross-border crime and to how the actions of the new search groups will affect the local security situation. It remains to be seen whether cooperation between the different levels, locally and across Europe, will produce the desired results.

If you would like to find out more about the details of the new search group, you can Sächsische, Visit Tag24 and Deutschlandfunk to delve deeper into the topic.