- There are currently around 100 full-time positions unfilled in the Basel Cantonal Police.
- Despite various measures, the wave of layoffs could not be stopped, according to the police commander.
- The police now want to find out from an independent source the causes of their personnel shortage.
“If you call the emergency number, it may take longer for us to get there. And we may no longer be able to get past noise complaints,” is how police commander Martin Roth describes the effects of the current personnel shortage in the Basel police. The situation is particularly stressful for people in the field.
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Demonstrations, high-risk games: the workload of the Basel police has increased in recent years.
Keystone/Georgios Kefalas
Around 100 positions were open in the police at the end of 2023, and the already tense situation has worsened recently, said Roth. Police officers resign, look for another profession or switch to a corps in another canton.
And this despite various measures that police management and politicians have decided and implemented in recent months: for example, more wages in the form of a labor market allowance or an improvement in duty rosters for better leisure planning.
Do “soft factors” play a role?
Police Commander Roth has a guess as to why police officers are quitting their duties in Basel, despite the improvements that have already been implemented: “Soft factors may also play a role, and we now want to clarify this.” By “soft factors” Roth means the mood in the corps, the working atmosphere, and the leadership and team culture.
An independent, external investigation will now reveal the exact reasons. This is led by Basel criminal law professor Markus Schefer. He primarily wanted to have conversations. These involve “discussions at all levels of the hierarchy and, if possible, also with former members of the cantonal police who have resigned.”
The mood is not good. Many complain. This is also reflected in the many departures.
The Basel-City Police Officers Association welcomes this step. “Every step that leads to an improvement in the working atmosphere is extremely necessary given the tense situation,” says President Pascal Eisner. «The mood is not good. Many complain. This is also reflected in the many departures.”
I find it unbelievable that you have to ask for help for a lot of money and the police department doesn’t know about the problems.
SVP Grand Councilor Felix Wehrli, a retired police officer, believes such an investigation is unnecessary. “I find it unbelievable that you have to ask for help for a lot of money and the police department doesn’t know the problems.” The police management has already had many discussions and should therefore know why the dissatisfaction in the corps is so great.
On the other hand, EPP Grand Councilor Christoph Hochueli, who himself works as a police officer in Basel, criticizes the fact that such an investigation is only now coming. He complains that wages are still higher in other cantons and that the workload in a city like Basel is still very high.
No time for noise complaints
This weekend in particular, many police officers have to forego a weekend off. Hundreds of participants from all over Switzerland are expected to attend a demonstration by the pro-Palestinian camp, and FC Basel will soon be playing again after the winter break.
Depending on the opponent, a larger number of police officers are needed to stand between the fronts. There is then no time for noise complaints.