Thematic focus: The Police in Networks

Architectures of opacity and confusion
by Norbert Pütter

In recent decades, there has been a marked increase in the extent to which police conducted work within and alongside networks. At the national and local levels, varieties of coordination and cooperation mechanisms have been established to fulfil distinct tasks. However, within this unregulated and opaque network structure, novel threats to citizens‘ rights are emerging that largely escape political, legal, and public scrutiny.

A Profitable Police Network? A Quarter-Century of „Observe – Recognize – Report“
by Volker Eick

The slogan „Observe – Recognize – Report“ delineates the responsibilities of commercial security services that have entered into agreements with state and/or federal police authorities. Despite the – de facto – unlimited scope of the industry and the lack of widespread acceptance of the phrase, such partnerships have been prevalent since the late 1990s. Initially, these partnerships emerged at the federal and local levels. Since the 2000s, they have also become prevalent at the state (Bundesländer) level.

The Railway’s Henchmen? Police with a Railway Siding
by Volker Eick

In 1994, the Deutsche Bundesbahn (FRG) and the Deutsche Reichsbahn (GDR) merged to form the Deutsche Bahn AG. As a commercialized corporation, Deutsche Bahn AG promptly initiated the generation of profits from track access, transportation, train stations, and transport buildings.

The Formation of Networks of the „Foreigners‘ Police“: Asylum and Immigration Authorities as Front Organizations
by Dirk Burczyk

The ongoing integration of asylum and immigration authorities into the security architecture of the Federal Republic of Germany reveals long-standing traditions in the fight against „dangerous foreigners.“ Security authorities benefit from comprehensive access to data and information. Furthermore, immigration authorities have been integrated into the preventive policing logic of counterterrorism and crime prevention through shared working structures at the federal and state levels.

The Concept of Cooperative Corporations is a noteworthy one: A Discourse on the Regulation of Freedom of Speech and Privacy in the Digital Age
by Marius Kühne

Practices of social control and security production are integral parts of the digital sphere. In this context, large digital corporations are gaining increasing significance. This issue pertains to the regulation of freedom of speech and the access to data stored by these corporations. In both cases, the determination of the extent to which companies would participate in state law enforcement was initially left to their discretion. In recent years, however, there have been efforts – particularly through EU legislation – to regulate these areas and impose mandatory procedural requirements on corporations.

A Format with Potential: An Examination of Stadium Alliances in Professional Football (Soccer)
An Interview with Jonas Gabler

Stadium alliances represent a concept aimed at improving safety at football matches through enhanced communication at the regional and local levels. The objective of these meetings, which are externally facilitated, is to enhance understanding between clubs, law enforcement, and authorities, as well as fan projects. The ultimate goal is to foster increased mutual acceptance. The primary objective of these strategic partnerships is to establish consensus on the utilization of locally available resources, with the overarching goal being the enhancement of security measures and the optimization of the match-day experience for spectators. Concurrently, they illustrate effective methods for addressing overt conflicts in a productive manner.

Non-thematic contributions

Frontex puts on its helmet: The EU border agency with new powers and obligations
by Matthias Monroy

The European Commission is planning a significant new reform of the EU border agency, under which its „Standing Reserve“ could be tripled to 30,000 personnel. The command structures of this force are already undergoing a process of decentralization across seven geographical operational areas. Additionally, Frontex is deploying its personnel to six third countries, with Ukraine currently in the process of applying to join this list. In these countries, Frontex also intends to operate its „return center,“ which would significantly increase the annual number of deportations as a comprehensive service for EU states. Notwithstanding the absence of formal promulgation of the requisite regulatory framework, the agency has initiated the construction of its new headquarters in Warsaw.

“… from the Sinti and Roma community”: Police Anti-Gypsyism and „Clan Crime“
by Markus End

For the years 2022 to 2024, the Anti-Gypsyism Reporting and Information Centre (MIA) received 215 reports of police-related incidents. These accounts offer significant insights into the diverse negative experiences of those affected by German police authorities. In particular, the cases involving the fight against so-called „clan crime“ exemplify the patterns of „overpolicing“ that characterise these experiences.

The Solidarity Committee for Maja asserts that Antifa does not constitute a criminal organization
An Interview with the Solidarity Committee for Maja

On February 4, 2026, Maja T., a resident of Jena, was convicted in Budapest and sentenced to eight years of imprisonment under strict detention and security conditions for assault and membership in a criminal organization. Maja T. had previously been extradited from Germany to Hungary, a move that the Federal Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional. The events surrounding the extradition and the particular role played by the public prosecutor’s office and the police raise questions regarding the current state of civil liberties and the rule of law in Germany. A meticulous examination of the events in question is undertaken, accompanied by the comprehensive documentation of the reflections and demands articulated by the Solidarity Committee for Maja.