Internal security, rescue and defence: For the protection and welfare of citizens
Internal security
The DP is convinced that the police must be efficient and modern in order to best meet current and future security challenges. We therefore advocate measures for optimal staffing, material and infrastructural equipment.
In addition to its duties as a tax authority, the Customs and Excise Administration plays an important role in the fight against crime, especially in the fight against illegal drug trafficking, counterfeit products and smuggled goods. In order to continue to fulfil its diverse tasks in the best possible way in the future, the administration is to be further strengthened, both in terms of its building infrastructures as well as its staffing and material equipment, and it is to focus more on digitisation.
Good prevention work is the most effective way to prevent crime in everyday life. The DP is firmly convinced that a comprehensive expansion of police prevention tasks is essential in order to relieve the police of their daily workload. Against this background, we strongly advocate for the establishment of a national prevention coordinator to implement coordinated and effective measures of national importance in the different regions. Furthermore, we goal to significantly upgrade the “Comité de Prévention” in order to fully utilise its potential.
The DP attaches great importance to an increased police presence in villages and neighbourhoods to ensure the security of citizens efficiently. The DP will introduce municipal police units, which will be placed at the disposal of the municipalities by the national police and thus be subject to the mayor’s right to issue directives. In profound cooperation with the local “Agents municipaux“, the “Police municipale” under the leadership of the respective mayor, is to ensure security in the municipalities.
As part of the extensive police reform, the possibilities to fill non-police positions increasingly with civilian employees were expanded. With the goal of deploying police officers more efficiently and, in particular, more frequently on the ground, the DP wants to examine increased relief for police officers through the increased use of civilian personnel in the administrative area. In addition, the DP will examine whether prisoner transport can be carried out by prison officers instead of police officers in the future – similar to Germany.
Refer to chapter Justice
The DP supports the introduction of bodycams as a de-escalating tool that benefits both police officers and citizens through appropriate legislation without restricting the freedom of action of police officers. Extensive training is essential to ensure safe use of the bodycams in stressful situations. In addition, data backup and adequate access to the recorded data is of great importance. Our goal is to strike a balance between protecting citizens’ rights and ensuring public safety.
The DP advocates for the integration of dash cams in police vehicles to ensure objective recording of incidents and effectively clear up potential misunderstandings or misinformation. In doing so, we attach great importance to ensuring that the legal provisions and guidelines for the use of dash cams are clearly and precisely defined in order to adequately protect the privacy of citizens.
Refer to chapter Justice
As DP, we are aware of the importance of the current extensive recruitment and strongly support it. It is crucial to continuously recruit both police officers and civilians to meet the increasingly complex and diverse day-to-day challenges.
The DP advocates providing the police with the necessary technical means and qualified personnel to combat increasing cybercrime. A well-equipped police force with expertise in cybercrime is crucial to solving crimes, prosecuting offenders and ensuring security.
Since the IGP has been responsible for conducting the disciplinary proceedings, an improvement in objectivity and neutrality has been achieved. Regrettably, however, disciplinary proceedings against members of the police are currently still too lengthy. As DP, we are strongly committed to accelerating the aforementioned disciplinary procedures by exploring the possibility of simplifying the procedure and/or increasing the department’s staff. Our goal is to ensure efficient and timely disciplinary procedures.
As DP, it is important for us to improve and accelerate legal support for police officers who are involved in accidents or face disciplinary proceedings while on duty. We are committed to protecting and supporting these police officers by ensuring that they are promptly provided with adequate legal support. In this way, we want to ensure that they are treated fairly and that their rights and interests are protected.
The DP is committed to increasing the efficiency of police officers by giving them more freedom of action. To this end, we seek to simplify and accelerate the existing procedure under Article 10 of the current Police Act. This procedure allows police officers to enter buildings, vehicles and undeveloped areas if there is an imminent danger to life or physical integrity. Our goal is for police officers to be able to make independent decisions in such situations in order to be able to act quickly without having to wait for the approval of the mayor or minister.
The DP will drive the digitisation process within the police. A special focus is on immediately moving away from manual files and incompatible IT programmes through comprehensive digitisation. The goal is to enable a more efficient, time-saving and productive way of working. The DP calls for a proactive and faster integration of the different data carriers into a unified digital programme.
Furthermore, investments in modern tablets are essential to improve the efficiency of administrative work on the ground. Police officers can use these tablets to retrieve information, enter data and write reports in real time. Electronic forms, database access, image and video recording, and digital report and note management reduce time and paperwork.
In this age of technological progress, the use of modern technologies opens up new opportunities for the police to work more efficiently and prosecute criminals more effectively. By using modern technology, such as automatic number plate recognition, stolen vehicles can be tracked down faster, manhunts accelerated and suspects found more quickly. This leads to improved efficiency in law enforcement and allows officers to use their resources more efficiently. Nevertheless, it is important that the use of these technologies is done in accordance with legal and ethical standards in order to protect privacy. The combination of modern technology and police work promises faster identification and accountability of criminals and thus contributes to the security, law and order of our society.
Rescue
As DP, we are campaigning to extend the shifts of full-time fire-fighters from eight to twelve hours. This change not only improves working conditions and productivity, but also better meets local needs. It enables more efficient management of daily tasks while reducing the need for overtime. Moreover, this is a significant step to avoid a gap between employees, as the full-time fire brigade CIS Lëtzebuerg, the operations centre at Findel and the 112 headquarters already practice the 12-hour shift successfully.
The DP wants to ensure comprehensive and timely emergency care. To this end, we will review the efficiency of the SAMU rescue service and, if necessary, establish additional SAMU units in the rural areas.
The DP is committed to a thorough analysis of the reform of the rescue system adopted in 2018 in order to make any necessary adjustments. To this end, we will carefully consider the basic pillars of service organisation, increased support for volunteering, evaluation of the creation of new premises, and funding for the CGDIS.
The DP recognises the immense importance of volunteering for the emergency services and appreciates the valuable contribution and selfless dedication of volunteers. We are committed to strengthening and promoting volunteering. To this end, we want to regularly evaluate existing measures and initiate new projects. We want to promote volunteering by improving the framework conditions through financial and tax incentives, adequate equipment as well as attractive and flexible training and further education opportunities.
The DP is campaigning for the introduction of a “lifesaver” app. This app immediately notifies registered members and trained first responders of an emergency when they are near the scene of the disaster. As soon as the volunteer confirms their availability, the mission is started and the app guides the helper to the location of the person in need. The volunteers’ mission ends as soon as the professional rescue services arrive. This system can save valuable minutes, as the first aider can provide help faster already before the ambulance arrives on the scene.
Refer to chapter on Health
Refer to chapter on Education
Defence
The DP is convinced that the Luxembourg Armed Forces must be efficient and modern in order to best meet current and future security and geopolitical challenges. We therefore advocate measures for optimal staffing, material and infrastructural equipment.
As DP, we support a strengthening of the investment in the Luxembourg Armed Forces. We are convinced that in the long term it is necessary to spend at least 1% of GDP on defence policy in order to best meet current and future security and geopolitical challenges, as well as our obligations to NATO.
The DP aims to meet our international obligations while creating economic benefits for our country. To this end, we will increasingly create synergies between the armed forces and the economy. This should contribute to the creation of new jobs and promote research and development in specific areas.
The DP is committed to the introduction of a defence commissioner who acts as a contact person for complaints, suggestions and proposals from soldiers and supports them in case of problems and conflicts. In his role as an independent commissioner, he can serve as a link between the army, parliament and the government.
The DP supports the ongoing investment in modernising the Army’s capabilities, especially in its specialised areas such as ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), medical evacuation, observation and transport. The DP also supports the expansion and further development of cyber capabilities and the army’s capacity for drones, and is committed to maintaining the space defence strategy.
In principle, the DP is in favour of establishing a military hospital to strengthen the army’s medical service and create added value for the population.
In order to ensure greater discretion of military personnel, the DP advocates the introduction of a second independent and decentralised psychological service, similar to the police, located outside the Härebierg army base. In this context, further training, career counselling and assessments in personnel matters could continue to take place at the army base. The treatment of personal traumatic experiences, private problems and family conflicts, on the other hand, is to be discreet and the responsibility of the independent and decentralised psychological service.
The DP is actively engaged in addressing the shortage of military doctors. Our goal is to engage in constructive discussions with all relevant stakeholders to achieve continuous improvements in the existing regulations and legislation for military doctors. We place particular emphasis on providing attractive incentives and benefits to make this position more appealing to doctors. Unlike general practitioners currently, military doctors offer the opportunity to participate in foreign missions and, due to their specific training, have a better understanding of the particular demands and challenges faced by soldiers.
