Overview

• Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is advancing plans to arm the Bundespolizei with Tasers to bridge the gap between batons and firearms amid rising threats.
• Both the federal and Bavarian police unions have backed the proposal, urging that every patrol car be equipped with Tasers and officers receive specialized training.
• Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann supports restricted use by four-person teams with protective gear while Lower Saxony’s Daniela Behrens warns of added complexity in high-stress situations.
• Critics including Die Linke and human rights groups point to documented fatalities and injuries, particularly among people with heart conditions, and fear a lower threshold for force.
• The Baden-Württemberg branch of the GdP has joined the call for Tasers and is also demanding shorter working weeks for officers as part of broader safety reforms.