Police station at "Kotti" planned with 200 square metres

Iris Spranger speaks at a press event.

The new police station at Kottbusser Tor in Berlin-Kreuzberg is planned as a large and bright facility that presents itself as a contact point for the whole neighbourhood.

About 210 square metres of space have been earmarked for the police station, Senator for the Interior Iris Spranger (SPD) told the Committee on Internal Affairs on Monday (April 04, 2022). Because of the conditions of the location, such large rooms could neither be found at ground level nor in the underground stations, where everything is already rented out. Spranger therefore spoke of rooms on a first floor in one of the surrounding buildings. The high-rise building partly above Adalbertsraße is being discussed.

Police station opening in response to wishes of local residents and businesspeople

Spranger rejected criticism and hostility from left-wing and extreme left-wing protestors who have been mobilising against the police station for weeks and organized a protest on Sunday (April 03, 2022). The Senator spoke of the litter problem at Kottbusser Tor as well as the area's dark corners with crimes such as robberies, brawls, pickpocketing, and drug dealing. "Local people are affected by this every day," said Spranger. She went on to say that a local police station has long been the great desire of local residents and business owners.

20 staff positions for the new police station

The senator emphasised: "The new police station should be a bright place where people can go and talk to officers." 20 open staff positions are to be filled for the station, and there are already "lots of applications". It is already known that the police station will probably not be operational until 2023. An annual rent of 50,000 euros has been included in the draft budget. The establishment of the police station will initially cost about 250,000 euros. Additional video surveillance is planned as well.