Based on the current police crime statistics, a security meeting took place last week between the city administration and the Sulzbach police station, as it does every year. The purpose is to get an overview of the local situation. Mayor Michael Adam and Alesja Hirsch, head of the local police authority, were present at the police station on Gärtnerstraße.
PI head Markus Müller prefaced the presentation of the official figures by saying: "Looking beyond the numbers is a continuous process that we monitor throughout the year. We observe daily developments to identify trends and, if necessary, deploy resources accordingly," Müller said at the outset. The overall situation for the past year appears relatively calm. "There is nothing concerning," said the police officer. In addition, the good cooperation between the police station and the city, established through the security partnership, has proven effective in many areas in the past, Michael Adam noted during his visit.
Chief Police Commissioner Siegbert Mörschel began by reporting on the 2021 traffic accident situation: "Sulzbach is at a similar level of accidents as the municipalities of Friedrichsthal and Quierschied," said Mörschel. Due to various construction sites, the traffic flow in those areas slowed down last year, which had a positive impact on the accident statistics, Mörschel added.
The crime statistics also show a relatively calm picture. According to them, a total of 3,430 offenses were recorded in 2021. “That is 508 fewer offenses compared to the previous year 2020,” said Müller. The statistical year 2021 is still marked by the Corona situation: Due to closed shops, no nightlife, and residents staying in their homes because of home office, there simply was no opportunity for crimes. “Compared to 2020, offenses have decreased by another 12.9%. Overall, there is a decline in crime for 2021,” Müller stated.
Theft offenses, as well as property crimes and forgery offenses, fell by 39.5% in Sulzbach, drug-related crimes by 15.3%, property damage by 42.9%, and street crime by 11.9%. “Regarding drug-related crimes, it must be said that these offenses need to be actively sought out by us. Both users and dealers do not want to be discovered and punished; therefore, they have an interest in remaining undetected. In Sulzbach, we have very committed police officers who actively engage in this,” said Müller.
There was an increase of 15.9% in juvenile crime. Also noticeable is the growing tendency toward disrespect towards police officers, firefighters, and paramedics during rescue operations. “Disrespect is rising. We are currently analyzing where this comes from and how to expand the related training content to address this new dynamic,” said the police officer.
“We observe that crime is changing. The internet is increasingly becoming a playground,” Müller said. On the governmental side, an attempt was made to counteract this by legal changes in criminal law in April 2021. Internet service providers have been obligated not only to delete hate postings and sexual offenses but also to report these cases to the Federal Criminal Police Office. “Since the beginning of the Corona pandemic, the internet has increasingly become a hub for criminal networks. Particularly offenses such as child pornography sadly must be mentioned here,” Müller continued.
Another cause for concern is the so-called “grandchild trick” in the fraud sector. “This has become a major problem in the past year. Organized offender structures have formed that pursue this professionally and even use WhatsApp to pretend financial difficulties of children or grandchildren,” explained Markus Müller. Work is currently underway to develop measures to counter this type of fraud.
Generally, with the easing of the Corona pandemic situation, it is noticeable that overall crime is picking up again. “People want to go outside again, to beer gardens and events; to experience freedom without masks,” said the police station chief. Accordingly, with the arrival of nicer weather in recent weeks, officers have been increasingly on duty once more.
