“No Pants”… Bavarian Police Protest by “Stripping”
German police officers in Bavaria have been forced to adopt strict measures to highlight the chronic shortage of the official uniform for law enforcement.
Officers decided to discard their clothes except for their underwear, due to their growing frustration over delays in receiving the basic uniform, according to the British newspaper Express.
A video posted by the German Police Workers’ Union on YouTube and Instagram shows a police car being driven by two officers, who said they waited 4 and 6 months respectively to receive their new uniform.
One officer said he was completely fed up with the situation, before leaving the car and heading towards the entrance of the police building, both without pants, wearing only underwear for everyone to see.
Jürgen Konlein, president of the Bavarian Police Workers’ Union, said the problem was no laughing matter, as it revealed a complete lack of respect towards the police.
He added: “Bavarian police are stripping and could be left standing without pants.”
He revealed that wait times for receiving 21 different pieces of the official uniform – such as hats, vests, and pants – could take months, if available at all.
A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry acknowledged on Wednesday that there was a problem, but the state had already begun taking new measures to address the issue.
The spokesperson said: “The supply shortage for uniform parts is a source of great frustration for us.”
State officials will transition to managing deliveries and plan to build a new distribution center by 2030.
They claimed that the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine had exacerbated the situation, but they were confident in their ability to solve supply problems.
The Interior Ministry emphasized that the police would not be compromised in carrying out their duties due to the lack of clothing.
Konlein was less optimistic about the possibility of a quick improvement in the supply of official uniforms.
He commented, “At this time, it is still unclear whether the situation will improve or continue to deteriorate.”
He added, “What impression should new recruits get when they are forced to complete their training in ‘civilian’ attire rather than being provided with the official uniform?”
