The number of offenses in South Baden fell by almost 10 percent in 2020. However, the Freiburg Police Headquarters registered significantly more sexual offenses and violence against police officers.
Fewer social contacts, restrictions on going out, more police on the street to monitor compliance with the corona rules: the pandemic also affects the work in the area of responsibility of the Freiburg Police Headquarters. This includes the urban district of Freiburg and the districts of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Emmendingen, Lörrach and Waldshut.
The restriction of public life reinforces the positive trend of recent years, said police chief Franz Semling on Friday. The crime recorded by the police is falling, even if not in all areas. After 64,694 registered crimes in 2019, the Freiburg Police Headquarters recorded 58,690 crimes in 2020. This corresponds to a decrease of 9.6 percent. This is the lowest level of criminal offenses in ten years (2011: 73,026 offenses). The number of criminal offenses decreased in the urban district of Freiburg and in all districts, least in the district of Emmendingen, most strongly in the district of Loerrach.
At the same time, the clearance rate in the area of responsibility of the Freiburg Police Headquarters increased slightly, by 0.5 percent compared to the previous year. 63.2 percent of the criminal offenses that became known could be solved in 2020. This corresponds almost exactly to the nationwide rate of 64 percent. “We’re not entirely satisfied with that,” said Semling, commenting on the result.
The following decreased in the overall crime statistics for 2020: crimes against life, crimes in public spaces and burglary. In contrast, the number of crimes in the area of domestic violence, against sexual self-determination and violence against the police and aid organizations are increasingly causing the police to frown, said Semling.
Burglaries
The number of home break-ins fell to an all-time low in 2020. The Freiburg police headquarters registered 420 break-ins. In 2019 there were still 931 offenses. A decrease of 55 percent. The ten-year average of 1147 break-ins is even 63 percent below. If people are more at home, potential perpetrators have fewer opportunities, said Kripo chief Arno Englen of the result. In more than half of all cases, there was only a break-in attempt. The clearance rate is 34.4 percent. “An absolute top value in a national comparison,” said Englen. Due to the pandemic, people mainly had to do with local and known perpetrators. “75 percent were already known to the police.”
Crimes in public places
The Freiburg Police Headquarters also recorded a sharp decline in criminal offenses in public spaces. This includes property damage, drug offenses, bodily harm, but also robbery and theft offenses. According to the police, it is criminal offenses that affect citizens’ feelings of security. The number of offenses recorded fell to a ten-year low in 2020. While the Freiburg Police Headquarters registered 31,215 criminal offenses in public spaces in 2019, there were only 28,193 in 2020.
That is a decrease of 9.3 percent. It was the fourth best development of all police headquarters in Baden-Württemberg, compared to the police headquarters in Stuttgart, Mannheim and Karlsruhe even the best, said Semling on the result. “We are proud of that,” said the police chief. Through their presence and with the support of the municipal law enforcement services, the police can help reduce crimes in public spaces. That will change after the end of the corona pandemic, believes Semling, “but we will prepare for it.”
Domestic violence
In contrast to the national comparison, the police in the area of responsibility of the Freiburg Police Headquarters had only a few more calls due to domestic violence than in the previous year. In 2020, police recorded 1,453 reported crimes, an increase of one percent. However, these are the highest number of cases in Baden-Württemberg. “We want to look at this area with a holistic view in the years to come,” said Police President Semling. To this end, the police have created a coordination office for domestic violence and will increasingly involve external offices.
Offenses against sexual self-determination
However, the number of crimes against sexual self-determination has increased. In 2019, the Freiburg Police Headquarters recorded 916 crimes. In 2020, the authority recorded 1,040 cases. That is an increase of 13.5 percent. It is slightly below the nationwide increase of 13.8 percent. “We are four-digit for the first time,” said Kripo chief Arno Englen. The increase is mainly due to the Internet, mainly WhatsApp groups. The spread of pornographic image, text and video material is increasing more and more, the investigators have to sift through gigantic amounts of data. The number of suspect children and adolescents is also increasing significantly.
“The younger generation exchanges pictures, one wonders what kind of violent material this is,” said Englen. But hope gives him that the display behavior in this area will improve. “The dark field clears.” The number of sexual offenses involving female victims also rose sharply in 2020. The Freiburg Police Headquarters recorded a maximum of 93 cases of rape. “What this increase is due to is still open,” said Englen. The clear-up rate for these crimes is 88 percent. That is also higher than the national average of 85.8 percent.
Violence against the police and aid organizations
Never before have there been so many crimes against police officers and members of aid organizations, namely the fire brigade and rescue services. The Freiburg Police Headquarters recorded 579 offenses in 2020. In comparison: in 2019 there were still 565 offenses. These are the second highest number of cases in Baden-Württemberg. In 2020, 1,324 police officers out of a total of 1,900 police officers experienced violence in their daily work. “This development is unpleasant and cannot be tolerated,” said Police President Semling on the result. Around 55 percent of the suspects in this crime group were under the influence of alcohol.
Offenses against life
In terms of homicidal crime, the Freiburg Police Headquarters recorded the lowest value in the past ten years and the second lowest number of cases in Baden-Württemberg. In 2019 there were 27 recorded cases, in 2020 only 19. That is a decrease of 29.6 percent. The clearance rate is 95 percent. Around 45 percent of the suspects were known to the criminal police, and almost every fourth suspect was under the influence of alcohol. “Every manslaughter is one too many,” said the police chief Englen, commenting on the numbers. Old cases are also to be re-opened in the coming years and processed with new investigation technology. “We want to have these perpetrators,” said Englen.
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