In recent years, the number of violent attacks on public transport systems in Germany has increased. The tragic height of such incidents is represented by a spectacular case of violent crime in the Munich commuter rail station of Solln on September 12, 2009. A passenger was fatally injured by two young men after he attempted to protect children who the perpetrators had threatened. This incident lead the conference of State and Federal Interior Ministers to place the issue of security in public transportation on the Agenda of their fall meeting.

The State of Brandenburg is planning to develop a law enforcement and security plan for public transportation. Currently, it is believed that few of Brandenburg’s public transportation providers have seriously addressed the topic of security in public transportation. Security topics are often addressed on a ad-hoc basis, and to the extent that daily operations require it. The security plans drawn up by infrastructure and public transport providers are not subject to any standards or minimum requirements; no overview of the operators or users of public transportation exists; and there is no overview of data which is relevant to public transportation security or criteria for evaluating them.

The Brandenburg Ministry of the Interior therefore entrusted BIGS with the production of a preliminary study on security in public transportation. The study provides a first overview of the actors and participants in public transportation in Brandenburg, current security measures, and of the data which exists on security in the public transportation system. Furthermore, the study illustrates deficits and problems in the cooperation of the individual actors in the public transportation system and makes recommendations regarding the contents and implementation of future studies on security in public transportation.

For this project's papers click here for the short version and here for the long study.