International Conference
Successful Conclusion of the 19th Easter Days in Ainring
Joachim Herrmann, Member of the State Parliament and Bavarian State Minister of the Interior, for Sport and Integration, welcomed the guests in his capacity as the highest-ranking official of the Bavarian Police.
In his speech, he emphasized the fight against illegal migration and cross-border crime as the most pressing current challenges. People in Germany expect swift and effective measures in the area of internal security and in combating illegal migration. Engaging with artificial intelligence in crime prevention and enforcement is self-evident and necessary in order to keep pace with new threats. With regard to the changing geopolitical landscape, he expressed his gratitude for the international nature of the conference, which is essential for mutual learning. Minister Herrmann’s visit demonstrated the political appreciation of police work and illustrated to the international guests the trusting exchange and cooperation between the police and politics in Germany.
Over 100 international participants
This year’s conference was held under the motto “Actively Shaping the Future of the Police.” More than 100 high-ranking representatives from over 20 countries took part, including experts from politics, the police, and the judiciary.
Mongolia was also represented by Mr. Bilguun Boldbaatar, Head of the Human Resources Department of the National Forensic Agency, and Mr. Chingunjav Tseden-Ochir, Senior Specialist in the Strategy and Policy Department of the General Police Department. Both contributed to the international discussion by sharing their experiences.
International Perspectives
The Hanns Seidel Foundation itself contributed to the success of the program with two content-based presentations and brought in an international perspective.
George Kingsley Adu, Deputy Superintendent of the Ghanaian Police, spoke about land conflicts, radicalization and youth recruitment, poverty, alienation of the population, and economic and political ambitions as driving forces behind terrorist activities. All these factors fuel terrorism in Ghana and its neighboring countries. Transnational crime, including gold mining, finances terrorism. The police need regional and local expertise and the trust of local political and social networks in order to offer solutions. Through a variety of public dialogue events with communities, the police gain trust that helps prevent radicalization. The Hanns Seidel Foundation has supported these programs for several years.
The police from the Indian partner state of Karnataka were also represented at a high level. Dr. Sanjeev M. Patil, Deputy Inspector General, presented the police’s approach to social media. He outlined its benefits for networking and information gathering, but also the disadvantages caused by fake news and hate speech, which affect all countries. The police response in Karnataka includes the implementation of short, fully automated processes in the fight against all perpetrators. For example, the national hotline 1930 is automatically connected to the banking system, among others, which helps consolidate information and makes committing crimes more difficult. The challenges in Karnataka are also rooted in an almost unimaginable linguistic diversity: ten of India’s 22 official languages are spoken there. The diversity of religions also leads to conflict. In 2023, the Karnataka police decided not only to monitor social media more actively, but also to actively counter fake news through counter-narratives and fact-checking in order to prevent unrest and sociopolitical division.
In his closing remarks, Michael Debowski, President of the Bavarian State Police Special Forces, concluded that crime takes place on an international level and therefore policing must also be internationally networked. The 19th Ainring Easter Days once again contributed to this successful international cooperation. New perspectives were shared, and the exchange was enriching for all sides.
Accompanying Program of the Hanns Seidel Foundation
Following the Ainring Easter Days, the Hanns Seidel Foundation organized a supplementary program for the international guests. The visit to the Documentation Center Obersalzberg served to educate about the history of National Socialism and to critically reflect on the role of the police during that period.
Another focal point was the topic of “Security Policy and Border Protection.” Police Director Stefan Steinleitner provided information about the role of the Bavarian Border Police within the EU, followed by a visit to the Piding Border Police Inspection led by Gerhard Holzinger. There, guests gained insight into practical areas of work such as criminal investigations, anti-smuggling operations, and the use of technical equipment.