Overview
- A joint Sofortprogramm announced on Friday commits the city and the state to a mix of measures including a dedicated police station in the Bahnhofsviertel, use of artificial intelligence for data analysis and face recognition, tougher prosecutions and expanded cash seizures, and the introduction of drugchecking.
- Most interventions are still in the planning phase and will take months to roll out because the police station is expected to open in about six to twelve months and some steps such as AI use and micro-sales in consumption rooms may need legal changes.
- The city is also advancing a Crack-Suchthilfezentrum on Niddastraße and pilot medical treatments for people with severe crack dependence, while critics and property owners warn the planned capacity will not meet demand.
- Local stakeholders say multiple construction sites have shrunk public space and concentrated drug use into a few hundred meters, forcing owners to spend roughly €1 million a year on private security and causing lost revenue and safety concerns for residents and businesses.
- A recent police control operation that ended with an officer being injured and a suspect shot has heightened political pressure and sharpened the debate over whether to prioritize enforcement or care-led measures.