Summary

The Swiss Federal Council opened a consultation on 18 February 2026 for two proposals to establish a nationwide police query platform (POLAP). The planned constitutional basis and partial revision of the Federal Act on Police Information Systems (BPI) are intended to enable all police forces to mutually access data via a common platform. This is expected to increase the efficiency of police work and improve the fight against organized crime, particularly for cross-cantonal offences such as drug trafficking and domestic violence.

Persons

  • Eichenberger (Mover of Motion 18.3592)

Topics

  • Police data integration
  • Federalism and security
  • Organized crime
  • Digital administrative infrastructure

Clarus Lead

The Federal Council wants to unify Switzerland's fragmented police data landscape through a national query platform. To date, Swiss police officers can directly access EU systems but not databases of neighboring cantons – queries are conducted time-consumingly through mutual legal assistance. The new POLAP platform, operational since August 2024, already connects federal systems and EU databases; however, cantonal data cannot yet be connected due to the lack of a legal basis. For decision-makers in security and administration, this is central: the missing data networking hampers the prosecution of cross-cantonal offences such as drug trafficking, human smuggling, and domestic violence.

Detailed Summary

Switzerland's federalist police structure leads to inefficiencies: each police force operates its own information systems, which complicates mutual queries and causes delays in urgent cases. Parliament has, through two motions (18.3592 Eichenberger and 23.4311 of the National Council's Security Policy Committee), called for the creation of a nationwide query platform. POLAP was developed jointly with the cantons and already functions for federal systems such as RIPOL (Automated Police Search System) and EU systems such as the Schengen Information System. The connection of cantonal databases currently fails due to the lack of a constitutional legal basis.

The fight against organized crime will benefit centrally from networking: organized crime structures have operated for decades across cantonal and national borders in areas such as drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, and human smuggling. A concrete example demonstrates the benefit: during a traffic stop with suspicious behavior, POLAP could reveal that the vehicle appears in drug investigations in four cantons. In cases of domestic violence, the platform could also ensure that restraining orders do not end at cantonal borders. The partial revision of the BPI is also intended to align the access rights of individual authorities with current tasks.

The consultation runs until 26 May 2026. Following evaluation of the results, the message will be submitted to the Federal Council by the end of 2026. The constitutional basis is subject to a popular vote; the BPI partial revision is subject to the optional referendum. The cantons are working in parallel on a concordat solution to create the legal foundations.

Key Statements

  • The Federal Council opens consultation for two proposals for nationwide police data query
  • POLAP has been operational since August 2024 but cannot connect cantonal databases due to lack of legal basis
  • Missing networking hampers the prosecution of cross-cantonal offences such as drug trafficking and domestic violence
  • Constitutional basis requires popular vote; BPI revision is subject to optional referendum
  • Cantons are developing concordat solutions in parallel; completion of the overall process planned by end of 2026

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality and Currency: What quality assurance mechanisms ensure that cantonal data queryable via POLAP are current and reliable, particularly in decentrally managed systems?

  2. Data Protection and Misuse Risks: How is it ensured that expanded access to cantonal police data does not lead to misuse or overreach of authority, and what control mechanisms are provided?

  3. Practical Effectiveness: Is the assumption that cross-cantonal data queries will substantially improve organized crime fighting based on empirical studies or pilot projects, or is it based on theoretical expectations?

  4. Implementation Risks: What technical and organizational challenges arise when connecting heterogeneous cantonal systems to POLAP, and how are delays in implementation avoided?

  5. Federal Resistance: How are potential resistances from cantons that see their data sovereignty endangered or must bear additional costs addressed?

  6. Parallel Solution Approaches: Does simultaneous work at federal and cantonal levels (concordat solution) not lead to duplication of effort and delay the process?

Sources

Primary Source: Press Release: The Federal Council Opens the Consultation for Improved Police Data Query – Federal Council, 19.02.2026

Verification Status: ✓ 19.02.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 19.02.2026