First-hand experience instead of a meeting-room briefing

Security in public and semi-public spaces is frequently discussed at political level. Yet reports, statistics and meetings can only provide a limited impression of the day-to-day realities faced by the people working on the ground.

On Saturday, 17 October 2026, Peter Bensmann therefore changed perspective for several hours. Accompanying an AEGIS Protect security officer around Münster Central Station, he was able to gain direct insight into the practical work of a private security service.

Bensmann has served as district mayor of Münster-Südost since 2020 and is standing as the CDU candidate in the Münster II constituency for the 2027 state election in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Security work is largely about awareness and communication

From the outside, the work of security officers is often reduced to checks and visible presence. In practice, many assignments are equally about identifying situations at an early stage, assessing them correctly and responding appropriately.

A busy environment such as the area around a major railway station creates particular demands. Large numbers of people with very different purposes share the same space, situations can change quickly and security officers must remain alert without unnecessarily disrupting normal activity.

Typical elements of professional security work include visible preventative presence, communication and de-escalation, monitoring within the scope of the assignment, documenting incidents and involving the appropriate contacts or public authorities where necessary.

Private security services do not replace the police or municipal enforcement authorities. Their responsibilities depend on the individual assignment and, on private property, on the authority delegated by the property owner. Professional security work therefore also requires a clear understanding of responsibilities and legal boundaries.

Why operational experience matters

These practical conditions were at the centre of the visit. Situations can change within moments. Visible presence may be sufficient in one case, while another requires communication or further action. At the same time, officers must remain attentive, approachable and capable of responding throughout their shift.

For political decision-makers, seeing these conditions first-hand can provide useful context for discussions about qualifications, regulatory requirements and wider security concepts.

For AEGIS Protect, direct dialogue is equally valuable. Day-to-day operational experience shows where processes work effectively, where challenges arise and how different organisations contribute to security in an urban environment.

Dialogue focused on practical security work

Peter Bensmann is district mayor of Münster-Südost and was selected as the CDU candidate for the Münster II constituency in 2026. Information about his municipal role is available from the City of Münster. North Rhine-Westphalia's next state election will take place on 25 April 2027, with official information provided by the Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia.

For us, however, the focus of the visit was not party politics. It was an opportunity for professional dialogue and for a political representative to experience the everyday work of security officers in the environment in which that work actually takes place.

Understanding the work before discussing it

We welcome opportunities for representatives from politics, public administration and business to engage directly with the realities of the private security sector. Experiencing an operational shift provides a different perspective from reading a job description or security concept.

The visit around Münster Central Station provided an opportunity to discuss questions directly on site and to gain a realistic impression of the responsibilities and demands placed on private security officers.

We would like to thank Peter Bensmann for his interest in the work of our employees and for the constructive exchange on site.