Downtown offensive: Hessian police increasingly presence for more security!

Downtown offensive: Hessian police increasingly presence for more security!

The Hessian police launched the inner city offensive almost a year ago to increase security in the city centers. Under the direction of the Interior Minister Roman Poseck, the program aims at increased police presence and focused controls, especially in areas known for their crime rate. In addition to the large metropolises, the participating cities also include smaller ones, such as Bad Hersfeld and Biedenkopf, which have been part of the program since August 2024

Overall, twelve cities have been involved since the beginning of the offensive in February 2024, including Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Fulda, Gießen, Hanau, Kassel, Limburg, Marburg, Offenbach, Rüsselsheim, Wetzlar and Wiesbaden. From February to December 2024, the police carried out over 50,000 personal checks in which almost 28,500 emergency services were involved. This intensive campaign resulted in the arrest of 540 people and the enforcement of almost 140 arrest warrants, which took place during 160,000 hours.

positive feedback from the population

The reactions of the citizens in the participating cities were mostly positive. In Bad Hersfeld, for example, the police headquarters report a growing perception of the police as a "friend and helper". Common interactions with the citizens strengthen the feeling of security. A particularly successful incident was the arrest of a suspect that is suspected of committing a knife attack.

The response was also positive in Biedenkopf after extensive controls in restaurants and casinos were carried out there. The local mayor Anke Hoffmann emphasized the importance of the increased police presence for security in the city and the positive feedback from citizens. The offensive not only offers security, but also promotes the dialogue between citizens and the police.

strategies for fighting crime

As part of the inner city offensive, the police focus on specific problem areas such as betting agencies, shisha bars, arcades and scene treasures that often play into the crime statistics of the cities. The police are planning to continue to strengthen the 2025 deployment, including through the use of artificial intelligence to increase efficiency in video surveillance.

Kassel and Darmstadt reported on positive reactions to the increased measures and announcements to introduce new police offices. In addition, these cities are considering the introduction of weapon ban zones that would enable additional security controls. Such a zone in Limburg is already in the examination phase.

The inner city offensive is created as a long -term project that is intended to maintain a high control pressure, especially during the night. The aim is to increase security for citizens, which is also associated with measures to improve urban infrastructure, such as better lighting and waste removal.

Overall, the program shows that security and prevention in Hesse enjoy a high priority. The Hessian state government is determined to further promote the joint fight against crime and to raise hopes for a noticeable improvement in the security situation in the city centers. The offensive remains a central part of the security architecture in Hesse.

For more information on this initiative see fr.de , hessen.de and hessenschau.de .