“We have to see that we are still able to act in four weeks”: The Berlin police have initiated their phased plan because of the Omicron wave.
Berlin – In well-known German cities, the incidence is currently particularly high. A snapshot from January 20 shows it. Hamburg: more than 1080. Munich: more than 980. Berlin: more than 1150 – and in the Mitte district even more than 2250. The police, part of the critical infrastructure, are now on the alert.
The Berlin police union is concerned about the increasing number of corona cases in its ranks. Union spokesman Benjamin Jendro now said on rbb Inforadio that the failure curve is currently showing “significantly upwards”. Currently one is able to act. “But we’re looking at the next few weeks with concern.”
Corona staff shortage in the police: almost 900 employees are missing in Berlin
At some point the Berlin police will also reach their limits. That’s why you have to make sure that you prioritize the missions. The specific numbers: 881 police officers are currently absent due to Corona, reports t-online.de . That is more than three percent of the approximately 26,000 employees.
According to Jendro, another ten percent were lost anyway – the usual winter sick leave. The Berlin police are approaching a staff shortage of 15 percent. Four days ago, “pandemic level I” was declared.
As a precautionary measure, the Berlin police are now introducing pandemic level 1 as defined in their pandemic plan.
It is not noticeable for the people in #Berlin.https://t.co/WzyUPLlPZf
^tsm pic.twitter.com/rFHoQgyvGm— Police Berlin (@polizeiberlin) January 17, 2022
Corona in Berlin: the fire brigade is ready with a four-stage model
“This also includes the very personnel-intensive accompaniment of the Corona walkers on Monday. These are not registered demonstrations and security must be guaranteed,” Jendro told rbb . “But whether we always have to be there with individual hundreds, the question arises whether the risk of infection is not too high. Because we have to see that we are able to act in four, five, six weeks.”
The pandemic is also affecting the Berlin fire brigade, albeit not as badly. According to the Tagesspiegel, 330 of around 6,000 employees are currently unable to work. The fire brigade has a four-stage model that applies if 15 percent of the staff is absent. This is currently not the case, it said at the request of the daily mirror .
The Berlin Senate wants to monitor the corona effects on the work of the police, judiciary, fire brigade, schools, subway, S-Bahn, electricity and water works and health care more closely. One wants to set up a monitoring of the functionality of the critical infrastructure, the daily mirror quoted the governing mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD). (frs)
