These insights have never been seen before! For the first time, the International Police Cooperation Center (IPCC) 2024 has shown its impressive heart chamber to the public: the IPCC 2024 information center in the Neuss training center of the State Office for Training, Further Education and Personnel Affairs (LAFP) of the NRW police. This is where national and international colleagues will process all relevant police information during UEFA EURO 2024.
Press representatives from Germany and abroad were able to experience first-hand what this looks like in practice during the IPCC 2024 staff training exercise - the first practical test run for UEFA EURO 2024.
The special training course offered by the Federal Academy for Civil Protection and Civilian Defense was aimed at preparing emergency services and managers in the field of non-police and police emergency response for UEFA EURO 2024.
NRW Minister of the Interior Reul welcomes national and international press to the IPCC 2024
RTL, Agence France-Presse and Welt - press representatives from around 20 different media outlets were guests at the IPCC 2024. They were welcomed by Herbert Reul, Minister of the Interior of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Dirk Hulverscheidt, Head of Operations of the NRW police and head of the EURO 2024 project group, and Oliver Strudthoff, the designated head of the IPCC 2024.
What does the IPCC 2024 look like, how do the colleagues there work and why is the IPCC 2024 so important for UEFA EURO 2024? The media representatives were able to experience this and much more first-hand on site.
"Today is all about getting an insight into how our police are preparing for this major event," said Herbert Reul, adding: "We have set up a state-of-the-art information center on 500 square meters."
High-ranking visitors from the BMI and IM NRW
Oliver Strudthoff, Thomas Roosen, Head of the State Office for Central Police Services (LZPD) of the NRW Police, where the IPCC 2024 is located, and LAFP Director Christine Frücht were more than satisfied with how the press event went. The same applies to the visits made the following day by Juliane Seifert, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs, Dr. Daniela Lesmeister, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Interior of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and Michael Schemke, Inspector of the Police of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
"The exercise showed us how quickly our colleagues get a common mindset for what the IPCC 2024 is and how well prepared we are in terms of technology and processes. I am impressed," says Strudthoff.
"Of course, the exercise is also there to identify where we still have room for improvement. We are now collating the results in order to further optimize processes," says Strudthoff.
IPCC 2024 as an information hub for UEFA EURO 2024
In the summer of 2024, the LAFP NRW in Neuss will be transformed into the IPCC 2024 for UEFA EURO 2024. Several hundred security forces from all over Europe will then work together in the national and international information hub.
For weeks on end, everything here will revolve around UEFA EURO 2024 and the security of the people in Germany in 24/7 shift operation. By collecting, evaluating and managing all relevant information in the form of a situation report, the IPCC 2024 ensures the best possible cooperation between the deployed national and international police forces.
The IPCC 2024 does not manage operations and is not a police authority. Rather, it is the link between participating countries, match locations and security authorities.