Jena. 31.08.2026. In view of increasing security challenges around the turn of the year, the heads of the public order departments of the five independent cities of Erfurt, Gera, Jena, Suhl, and Weimar have addressed a joint open letter to Thuringia’s Interior Minister, Georg Maier. The focus of the letter is the demand for significantly improved and statewide coordinated police deployment planning for New Year’s Eve.
- Topic: Joint open letter to Interior Minister Georg Maier regarding New Year’s Eve deployment planning
- Signatories include: Benjamin Koppe (Head of the Department for Security and Citizen Services, Jena) as well as representatives from Erfurt, Gera, Weimar, and Suhl
- Core demand: Statewide coordinated concepts, sufficient police presence, and strict adherence to legal jurisdictions
The background to this initiative is the growing burden associated with the use of pyrotechnics and the resulting risks to public safety. The municipalities make it unequivocally clear that the legal responsibilities are clearly separated between the state police and the municipal authorities.
Clear demarcation of responsibilities
According to the letter, hazard prevention in connection with criminal offenses under the Explosives Act as well as general criminal prosecution clearly fall within the jurisdiction of the Thuringian State Police. In contrast, municipal public order offices have only limited powers. While they can identify violations of potential bans on fireworks and record them as administrative offenses, they can neither close gaps in police hazard prevention nor replace police duties.
“Our municipal public order authorities are fulfilling their duties. However, they can neither replace the police nor take on tasks for which they lack the legal authority, training, and personnel resources,” the department heads explain in their letter. Especially on a New Year’s Eve with numerous simultaneous incidents, a reliably plannable police presence is required.
Demand for early planning
The city representatives also resist the idea that responsibility for any security deficits is unilaterally shifted to the public order offices, even though the corresponding legal powers lie with the police. The municipalities are therefore calling on the Ministry of the Interior to review the statewide deployment planning. The goal must be to jointly develop a concept that corresponds to practical realities in order to secure the coming turn of the year in a timely and safe manner.
Background: Security situation on New Year’s Eve in Thuringia
Managing New Year’s Eve has posed enormous challenges for municipalities and emergency services for years. In addition to the massive use of pyrotechnics, urban centers frequently experience riots, property damage, and threats to emergency personnel. While cities are responsible for general hazard prevention within the framework of public order law, the police law of the State of Thuringia applies exclusively in cases of escalation, crime, and the handling of illegal explosives.
Source:
Joint open letter to Interior Minister Georg Maier
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.