Bremen police on alert: 300,000 hours of overtime accumulated!

Bremen police on alert: 300,000 hours of overtime accumulated!

The situation with the Bremen police is serious. As the Buten and inland Reportedly, officers have now accumulated more than 300,000 hours of overtime. This means they are facing record levels of workload, which not only endangers the police officers' ability to work, but also their health. The police union (GdP) is sounding the alarm and urgently calling for relief measures.

Union warns of health risks

In the first half of 2025, the Bremen police attended over 600 gatherings, which represents an unprecedented burden. That's around 40,000 overtime hours from Bremerhaven in addition to the 300,000 that accrued in Bremen. The number of events has increased fivefold since 2016 - from 215 previously to over 1,000 operations in 2024. This development, which is caused by global crises, major sporting events and public demonstrations, is putting a huge strain on the police. Current reports from the District newspaper show that the GdP warns of health consequences in view of these burdens.

In recent years, the pressure on police forces has only increased due to the increasing number of operations. Nils Winter from the GdP expects a new deployment record by the end of the year. “The workload is becoming more and more unbearable,” says Winter. The union is calling for more than 500 additional police positions in Bremen and Bremerhaven to meet growing needs.

A challenge for politics

Interior Senator Ulrich Mäurer (SPD) recognizes the challenges associated with the increase in demonstrations and other police operations. Maintaining the right to demonstrate is important to him, but he also advocates for better use of police resources. The GdP also criticizes the planned increase in weekly working hours by one hour, which would only further increase the workload.

In addition, the Bremen police are at the bottom of the comparison nationwide when it comes to police allowances. The Taz emphasizes that this problem does not only affect Bremen. All over Germany, overtime in the security authorities is increasing, which indicates chronic overload. On average, officers work over 85 hours of overtime per person, which is due not only to the high number of gatherings, but also to major events such as football games and other major events.

Conclusion: Urgent need for action

The current situation leaves no room for omission. With the increased number of deployments and the current equipment, officers are under enormous pressure. The GdP has made it clear that without increased staffing and better working conditions, not only the effectiveness but also the health of the police officers is at stake. The time for action has come, and it is up to both politicians and society to address these important issues and find solutions so that the Bremen police can continue to ensure the safety of citizens in the future.