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Arrival at the refugee centre: security personnel sufficiently qualified?

Photo: Carsten Koall / dpa

According to the police, a considerable number of the security guards at the Ukraine refugee centre in the former Tegel Airport do not have the necessary qualifications. This is the result of a control operation by the Berlin police on Sunday evening. Of the 183 private security guards checked, 55 had to stop working immediately, the police said on Monday. 87 investigations were initiated for violations of the Guarding Ordinance.

Anyone who wants to work in the security industry must meet certain requirements, such as not having been a member of a banned association or having been convicted of certain crimes. According to the police, many of the security guards who were checked lacked the corresponding evidence.

Was it even necessary to qualify?

Every day, 600 security guards work in the accommodation, a spokesman for Messe Berlin GmbH told SPIEGEL. Messe Berlin is responsible for the security concept of the refugee centre in Tegel. The security guards are provided by another company. This company is now investigating the allegations of the police, said the spokesman for Messe Berlin. It is not clear whether the areas in which the offenders worked required such qualifications at all.

In October, more than 4000,7000 people were living in the refugee centre, the majority of whom come from Ukraine. The accommodation is constantly being expanded. By the end of the year, more than <> people should be able to be accommodated there. It was originally planned as a distribution center where refugees would only stay for a few days. In the meantime, however, many people live there for months because there are no places available in other accommodations.

has/dpa