Trade Union Wants Fewer Federal Police for Border Controls - Germany's extended border controls spark political and police backlash in Brandenburg
Police Union Calls for Fewer Officers at German-Polish Border, More at Train Stations
The German Police Union (GdP) has argued that fewer federal police officers should be deployed to controls along the German-Polish border, with resources instead shifted to high-traffic areas such as train stations. Andreas Broska, chair of the GdP for federal police and customs in Berlin-Brandenburg, made the statement in response to an inquiry, noting that the number of detentions at border checks has been declining for months. He said the current level of personnel deployment was no longer justified.
"We are therefore calling for a reduction in the forces assigned to the current border controls, as well as a stronger reallocation of available resources to other police priorities—such as train stations and airports," Broska said.
Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has pushed to extend border checks at all of Germany's land borders at least until September. The measure aims to curb irregular migration. In a notification to the European Commission, Dobrindt announced that the reinstated internal border controls—originally set to expire on March 15—would be extended by an initial six months.
The state government of Brandenburg has criticized the move, demanding that the federal government present a plan to phase out the controls. Robert Crumbach, the state's nonpartisan minister for European affairs, stated on Thursday that with the implementation of reforms to the Common European Asylum System in June, the border checks should end no later than this summer. He noted that the number of asylum applications has already fallen sharply since 2023.
Broska reported that the situation at checkpoints near Frankfurt (Oder) and on adjacent highway sections has eased somewhat in recent weeks. However, temporary backlogs and increased control activity persist, particularly during peak traffic periods.
At the same time, the union is advocating for a long-term increase in permanent border inspection staff. This would allow support units—especially from the federal riot police—to be gradually withdrawn and reassigned to their original duties.
Since autumn 2023, Germany has maintained stationary border controls in Brandenburg along the Polish frontier to halt irregular migration. Business and political leaders have repeatedly complained about severe congestion caused by the checkpoint on the heavily trafficked A12 motorway. In December, traffic routing was adjusted in an attempt to mitigate the delays.
The number of people applying for asylum in Germany continues to decline. According to the Federal Interior Ministry, first-time applications totaled 113,236 in 2025, down from 229,751 the previous year.
Last autumn, Knut Abraham, the federal government's commissioner for Polish affairs, warned that border controls must not become a permanent fixture. While the Schengen Agreement generally prohibits internal border checks, Germany justified their reintroduction as a measure to combat irregular migration, Islamist terrorism, and cross-border crime.
On June 14, 1985, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands signed the Schengen Agreement, paving the way for the gradual elimination of border controls. Today, the Schengen Area comprises 29 countries with a combined population of around 420 million.
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