BERLIN, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The German government Wednesday decided to fund "civil security research" with some $160 million to better combat terrorism and organized crime.
Over the next four years, the government will fund research in areas such as explosive detection and suspect identification, Science Minister Anette Schavan said Wednesday in Berlin.
The new program is to create a platform where industry, research centers and universities work together with authorities to improve the country's preparedness when it comes to matters of national security.
"For intelligent security solution, we need to combine our expertise in engineering and natural sciences with the potential of the humanities and social sciences," Schavan said.
Such solutions include for example "electronic noses," that are to be far more accurate and quicker than regular sniffing dogs.
The funding is also aimed at improving Germany's capabilities of handling natural catastrophes, such as floods or major hurricanes.
Up to 1,000 jobs could be created in the process, Schavan said, adding that the security market in Germany alone was worth some $13 billion.
