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Mayor Hanno Benz praises the trusting cooperation and shared successes
The change at the top of the South Hesse Police Headquarters is official: Police President Björn Gutzeit will henceforth head West Hesse Police Headquarters, based in Wiesbaden Hanno Benz expressed his regret on Friday (27th) at the announced change, which had been made public by the Hessian Ministry of the Interior, and thanked Gutzeit for the close and successful cooperation.
“Since taking office two years ago, I have enjoyed a good, happy and trusting working relationship with Björn Gutzeit, and we have tackled and implemented many issues together,” said Benz.
House of Youth Justice, safer public spaces, new collaborations:
Among the joint projects is the planned establishment of a "House of Youth Justice" for the Darmstadt region – a model already established in several Hessian cities. It aims to enable coordinated, rapid, and tailored intervention by the police, public prosecutor's office, and juvenile court assistance in cases of criminal behavior by young people.
Another key project was the "Safe Darmstadt" action plan , developed jointly with Head of Public Order Paul Georg Wandrey and Gutzeit. The ten-point plan focuses on a visible security presence, prevention of youth crime, and urban planning measures to improve safety.
The founding of the association "Society and Police" in the spring of 2025 was also a joint project. The association's goal is to strengthen democratic values in cooperation with the city's residents and the police. Gutzeit and Benz served as founding chairpersons, and Head of Public Order Wandrey also serves on the board.
Benz: “A dedicated and reliable partner”
“Our citizens should feel safe in the city center and elsewhere. Police President Gutzeit made a significant contribution to this during his time in Darmstadt,” emphasized Mayor Benz.
Looking to the future, Benz stated: “We know that with Police Vice President Dirk Fornoff have an equally reliable partner at our side and hope that the future successor for the South Hesse Police Headquarters will stand for good cooperation between the city and the police.”
(Darmstadt - Red/PSD/HO)
Featured image: Mayor Hanno Benz and Police Chief Björn Gutzeit. Photo: City of Darmstadt
