Brandenburg's Interior Minister Jan Redmann Advocates for Smart Video Surveillance at High-Risk Locations (Archive Image)
Brandenburg tightens security after violent crime surge in 2025
Potsdam (dpa/bb) – Residents of Brandenburg are set to feel safer at dangerous locations through targeted video surveillance in the future. The state parliament, backed by the governing coalition majority, has called on Interior Minister Jan Redmann (CDU) to implement this measure at high-risk or crime-prone areas. Plans for such surveillance already exist.
The minister pointed to a rise in violent crime last year and emphasized the need for countermeasures. "Citizens should feel safe—safer—everywhere in public spaces," Redmann stated. "But we want to move away from the kind of video surveillance we know today."
Deploying AI in Video Surveillance
While current systems often involve hours of monitoring with little activity, future cameras equipped with artificial intelligence will analyze movement patterns that may indicate criminal behavior, such as someone carrying a knife. "This won't be full-time surveillance of a single location as we have now," Redmann explained.
The proposal includes amending the public order law to integrate modern technology for enhanced security at high-risk sites while ensuring data protection compliance.
Additionally, municipal enforcement officers will receive better protective equipment, such as Tasers, to defend themselves against increasing violence.
AfD Pushes for Municipal Police
The AfD faction abstained from the vote, while the BSW faction opposed the SPD/CDU motion. AfD lawmaker Wilko Möller advocated for the introduction of municipal police forces. BSW politician Sven Hornauf criticized the plan, arguing that vandalism and public disturbances cannot be resolved with cameras alone.
Though overall crime in Brandenburg declined in 2025, violent crime rose by two percent to 5,443 cases—with most incidents occurring in private residences.
Debate Over Enhanced Security
Former Interior Minister René Wilke (SPD) had already called for expanded video surveillance at high-risk locations last November. The security debate gained momentum following a statement by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) during a press conference in Potsdam last year.
When asked about the AfD's growing support, Merz acknowledged past failures in migration policy, stating, "But we still face challenges in our urban landscape, which is why the federal interior minister is now working on a large-scale effort to facilitate and carry out deportations."
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