Swiss Federal Council Plans to Break Down Barriers in Cantonal Police Data Exchange

The Swiss government, represented by the Federal Council, has taken decisive steps to end the era of information fragmentation in policing. In Switzerland's current federal system, each of the 26 cantons maintains its own separate database, significantly hindering the pursuit of criminals crossing administrative borders. Paradoxically, a Swiss police officer could previously check a suspect's records in the European Union faster than in a neighboring region. The reform aims to fully implement the query platform Polap, which currently only provides access to federal and European data. The Minister of Justice and Police emphasized that the changes are essential for effectively combating mobile burglary groups and perpetrators of domestic violence. Swiss federalism is based on broad cantonal autonomy, which has shaped the country's security structure since the 19th century but, in the digital age, has become a barrier for law enforcement agencies. Introducing a common system requires not only amending the Federal Act but also modifying the Federal Constitution itself. This means that the final decision will be made by citizens through a referendum. The legislative and technical process is long-term – consultations are scheduled to conclude on May 26, and the system's actual implementation is projected only for 2029. „Crime knows no cantonal borders, so the police must have tools that allow for a rapid response across the entire country.” — Federal Council The problems resulting from the current data blockade are stark: in a wave of phishing scams, several cantons may conduct independent investigations against the same person without being aware of each other's actions. Communication between services often relies on traditional methods, such as phone calls or email, which is extremely inefficient in life-threatening situations. The new platform is to enable immediate access to records nationwide, which experts believe will drastically increase the effectiveness of cantonal police in confronting modern crime. 2029 — year of the planned full launch of the Polap platform Police Access to Information (Current vs Plan): Access to EU data: Direct (Schengen systems) → Direct (integrated); Data from other cantons: Telephone/email inquiries → Full access via Polap; Legal basis: Scattered cantonal law → Constitution and Federal Act Liberal media emphasize the necessity of modernization and increasing state efficiency in the face of new digital threats. | Conservative media highlight potential threats to cantonal autonomy and citizen privacy.