Posted in 1. June 2022, 15:18
Four Berlin police officers stayed in Zug for a week. Policewoman Ivana Brcina tells about the differences between operations, why she initially underestimated the operation in Zug and what she would like to take with her to Berlin.
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Ivana Brcina works for the Berlin police.
Ivan Brczyn
The 31-year-old changed jobs for a week and accompanied her colleagues in Zug in early May.
Ivan Brczyn 
This week, Ivana Brcina fell in love with Zug.
Police on Instagram / Zug
The 32-year-old Ivana Brcina belongs to the 26,000 police corps in Berlin with 3.7 million inhabitants. Daily life between Berlin and Zug is hard to compare, he says: “It affects the intensity and frequency of crime. In Berlin, gun attacks take place every day or every two days. There is less inhibition in taking up arms in Berlin. ” Nevertheless, he believes that the actions of both bodies are almost identical, for example in the event of an accident. “The colleagues from Zug are technically better prepared than we are in Berlin. In Zug, colleagues receive operation instructions directly on their tablets, and they can also see which patrols are on the way, when and where, ”says Brcina. She would also like to have this technology in Berlin: “We need to do a lot more work on paper.”
“I thought everything here was so idyllic that there could be no crime.”
Berlin police have also noticed how close their Zug colleagues are to citizens. “We were at the mall and people were greeting the policemen. In Berlin, children wave to us, in Zug everyone says hello, he continues. She also liked the good cooperation and the fact that the prosecutor’s office is also under one roof. As Brcina was on her way to Zug, she thought it probably wouldn’t be that crowded, and she was excited about what was to come.
The difference is in the population: at the end of 2021, almost 130,000 people lived in the Canton of Zug. The number of people employed by the Zug Police is around 250 if you convert the police density to residents. Brcina: “When I arrived I thought that everything here is so beautiful and idyllic that there can be no crime.” Then came the night shift that changed her image: “There was one mission after another and I must admit I underestimated her.” Another difference in their daily life in Berlin is that every policeman in Berlin has a job to do. There are several different quests to cover in Zug.
26,000 people work for the Berlin police corps. Here in action during the «1. May »demo in Berlin-Kreuzberg.
Anadolu Agency by Getty Images
However, the weekly job swap between the Berlin police and Zug seems easier than it sounds. “I was able to apply for a stay under the Erasmus educational program.” The condition for this was that the candidates were able to demonstrate eleven evaluation points after completing the training. In a personal interview, she then had to correctly answer questions about the police in Berlin, Zug and Zurich. In addition, the 32-year-old had to introduce herself via PowerPoint presentations. Having mastered it all, she was able to accompany her colleagues in Zug from May 9 to 13, and then for a week with colleagues from the Zurich City Police. Purpose of the exchange: “Thinking outside the box”.
“I was really sad when I got back to Berlin.”
By the way, in Germany, unlike in Switzerland, any EU citizen can become a police officer if he meets the necessary requirements. Brcina’s summary of the exchange period: “The comparisons were very exciting. In Berlin, we have more manpower, and in Switzerland, the corps are equipped with long-range weapons such as rubber shotguns. There are also differences in the legal basis. ” She is sure that she will travel to the canton of Zug again soon: “I was very sad when I returned to Berlin because I fell in love with the city of Zug. The nature is breathtaking and I have seen that people can treat each other warmer. »