Yes to cooperation with fire and rescue services
At the recent KSSD General Assembly, members unanimously approved the board's proposal to establish cooperation with the operational forces of the police, fire department, rescue services and civil protection. Barbara Günthard-Maier, head of security in Winterthur, and her counterpart from the city of Zurich, Richard Wolff, now form a co-presidency. The board is expanded by the Basel cantonal government councilor Baschi Dürr and the Lucerne city councilor Adrian Borgula.
Already with the change of its name from "Conference of Municipal Police Directors" (KSPD) to "Conference of Municipal Security Directors" (KSSD) in 2013, the KSSD signaled that it no longer wished to limit its range of tasks to police work alone. With the extension of the purpose article in the statutes to the areas of firefighting, rescue services and civil protection in 2014, it committed itself to henceforth also giving these blue-light organizations a political voice and representing their interests vis-à-vis the federal government and the cantons.
Strengthen cooperation with the operational level
In addition to the political exchange, it is also important for the KSSD to find a vehicle for cooperation with the operational forces of the blue-light organizations, i.e. the police, fire and rescue service commanders. A regular exchange of information with the aforementioned organizations is a prerequisite for further deepening cooperation with the operational level. To this end, the Board has proposed to the General Assembly that a representative of the Swiss Association of Municipal Police Chiefs (SVSP) and the Municipal Association of Protection and Rescue Organizations be admitted to the Board in an advisory capacity. The associated amendment to the Articles of Association was unanimously approved by the members.
Barbara Günthard-Maier and Richard Wolff form new Co-Presidency
After six years as President of the KSSD, Nino Cozzio, Head of the Department of Social Affairs and Security of the City of St. Gallen, is placing the presidency in new hands. At the request of the Board, the members unanimously elected Barbara Günthard-Maier, Head of the Department of Safety and Environment of the City of Winterthur, and Richard Wolff, Head of the Zurich Department of Safety, as Co-President.
Basel government councilor and Lucerne city councilor elected to the board of directors
In order to address the growing challenges in urban security in a more targeted manner, the board has decided to expand the board committee by two members. The members supported the board's proposal and unanimously elected Baschi Dürr, member of the cantonal government and head of the Department of Justice and Security of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, and Adrian Borgula, city councilor and head of the Department of Environment, Transport and Safety of the City of Lucerne, to the board.
