NRW Interior Minister Reul wants to deploy uniformed police officers in asylum accommodation
Herbert Reul also advocates for stricter application of adult criminal law against young perpetrators.
Quick Look
- The North Rhine-Westphalian Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) proposes the use of uniformed police officers in asylum accommodation in order to demonstrate state authority.
- He also calls for tougher criminal prosecution of young perpetrators.
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Why It Matters
The debate about crime in socially disadvantaged areas and the criminal responsibility of young people is a recurring theme in German domestic politics.
The North Rhine-Westphalian Interior Minister Herbert Reul is in favor of deploying uniformed police officers in asylum accommodations – “in order to have a trust-building effect there”. The 74-year-old CDU politician said this in an interview with the magazine “Zeit”.
He literally said: "In these houses there are signs in different languages: 'Knives forbidden'. But that doesn't help much. The residents have to understand: The German state has a monopoly on violence here. Even small things have to be punished."
Reul advocates that in the group of 18 to 21-year-old perpetrators “not always the juvenile criminal law should be applied, but more often the adult criminal law”. Things were different in the 1950s. Reul says he wants to “think about criminal responsibility in a new way.” He added: "That doesn't mean that children should go to prison. But anyone who does something bad must also feel a consequence."
According to Reul, he is concerned that young police officers are being overwhelmed by working in socially disadvantaged areas where many foreigners live. “In particular, young police officers who are not yet internally stable are at risk of slipping away if they are constantly deployed in problem areas,” said the minister. "That's why I want certain older police officers to be allowed to stay on duty longer. The old ones should look after the young ones."
Open Questions
- How should the practical implementation of the police presence be financed?
- Are there already specific draft laws on criminal responsibility?
