"I say it again and again: video surveillance has proven to be a suitable component in the fight against street and drug-related crime," says Dortmund Police Chief Gregor Lange, who has ordered video surveillance at all three locations in accordance with Section 15a PolG NRW - in 2016 (Brückstraße), 2021 (Münsterstraße) and 2023 (Dietrich-Keuning-Park). Gregor Lange continues: "But I will also say this: I will continuously review the proportionality of these measures, because of course they interfere with people's fundamental rights." The measures are currently in place until May 30, 2025 (Münsterstraße), June 30, 2025 (Dietrich-Keuning-Park) and December 15, 2025 (Brückstraße).
The Dortmund police have repeatedly achieved considerable investigative success thanks to video surveillance, as some examples show. In July 2024, for example, three men were arrested after attacking a 21-year-old. Thanks to the video surveillance, the altercation in Leeds Square was noticed. The correspondingly good personal description then ensured that police officers on Kampstraße were able to arrest the suspects (see also: https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/4971/5818299).
The handcuffs clicked on Brückstraße during the Christmas period: an 18-year-old committed grievous bodily harm with pepper spray on Brückstraße in the early morning. The video surveillance ensured that officers were on the scene a short time later, who arrested the man and took him into police custody (see also: https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/4971/5931100).
And there have already been two successes with video surveillance this calendar year. In the case of a so-called "anti-dancing crime", it was possible to see that something had been stolen from an unknown person. The police were subsequently able to arrest three suspects, but are currently still looking for the victim (see also: https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/4971/5945939).
In a robbery at a kiosk at Dortmund bus station on Tuesday evening (18 February), three people fled in the direction of the Hauptbahnhof subway station. A video surveillance employee was able to identify the main perpetrator, who is known to the police, by name and searches are now underway.
The number of crimes in the video surveillance area in Brückstraße has risen slightly compared to the previous year. 221 offenses last year compared to 208 offenses in 2023. Just under a third of the crimes committed were assaults (74), while theft offenses were almost in the three-digit range (92).
In the Münsterstraße area, the number of recorded crimes fell from 346 to 297 in 2024 - a decrease of 14 percent. Although theft offenses fell by almost a fifth here, they are still by far the most common crime in this video surveillance area (225).
In Dietrich-Keuning-Park, narcotics offenses and corresponding violations of the Narcotics Act (228) are still the clear focus of police work. But, according to Police Chief Gregor Lange, "the overall crime and operational situation here has fallen significantly - by 51 percent compared to the previous year. The partial legalization of cannabis is certainly also responsible for this."
In conclusion, the police chief concludes: "In the context of the parallel strategic search in the northern and inner city areas, video surveillance is part of a large package of measures that is effective and effectively supports the presence concept Focus."