Overview

• The Deutsche Polizeigewerkschaft and the Gewerkschaft der Polizei are calling for state-wide issuance of the new Taser 10 devices to give patrol officers a rapid non-lethal response option.
• They argue that Interior Minister Thomas Strobl’s plan to begin limited testing in Freiburg and Göppingen in 2026 is too slow and geographically narrow.
• Following the June 26 knife attack in Wangen that wounded an officer, unions are pushing to equip every patrol officer with individual first aid kits.
• Unions propose that the kits include tourniquets and other compact life-saving supplies to control severe bleeding until medical teams arrive.
• The dispute highlights broader national debates over balancing officer safety measures, medical preparedness and the pace of non-lethal weapon deployment.