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Law enforcement in Germany is divided between the different levels of federalism: the federal level (Bund), the state level (Land) and the local level (Kommunen). However, the German constitution devolves most power to the states in the area of law enforcement with only specific missions of a national and international nature being assigned to the federation, and of a local nature to the Kommunen.
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Federal agencies
There are two federal police agencies in Germany: The Federal Investigation Bureau and the Federal Police that both fall under the Federal Ministry of the Interior.[1] The German Federal Coast Guard, known as the Küstenwache, is both a civilian service and a law enforcement organisation, staffed with both police officers and civilians from the various German federal agencies associated with maritime administration.
Federal Criminal Police Office
The Federal Criminal Police Office/Federal Investigation Bureau (Bundeskriminalamt, BKA) is Germany's national investigative agency, and coordinates law enforcement in cooperation with criminal investigation bureaux of the individual states of Germany (these state investigation bureaux are known as Landeskriminalamt) and to conduct investigations in serious crimes, especially when other countries are involved [2].
Federal Police
In May 2005, the Bundesgrenzschutz (German Federal Border Guard) was renamed Bundespolizei (Federal Police) to reflect new responsibilities for domestic security that combine law enforcement and intelligence. The organization not only is responsible for protecting the country's rail system, airports and the borders but also participates in United Nations peacekeeping missions and supports intelligence-gathering activities [3].
GSG 9 is a special federal police unit that was created to combat hostages incidents, assassinations and organized crime. Former German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher established the unit after the terrorist attack on Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.
State agencies
The German states are responsible for managing the bulk of Germany's police forces [4]. Each state has its own police force known as the Landespolizei (State Police). Each state has a code which lays down the organisation and duties of its police (Landespolizeigesetz or Sicherheits- und Ordnungsgesetz). The idea of creating one single police code for the whole of Germany (allgemeines Polizeigesetz) came up in the 1960s but was never passed.
Although uniforms and vehicle colour schemes are similar all over Germany, the police forces are structured slightly differently in each state. For example, the Kriminalpolizei (detective branch, often shortened to Kripo) are part of the ordinary police force in some states and separate organizations in others.
The idea of using the same colour for police uniforms and vehicles throughout the European Union has resulted in German police forces slowly changing vehicle liveries from white/green to silver/blue. The uniforms have also changed in most states from the green/beige version introduced in 1979 to blue. Hamburg was the first state to make the transition. In most states, newly acquired vehicles and helicopters get the new colour scheme.
Local agencies
Neighborhood watch
Many German states have neighborhood watch programmes.
Bavaria has instituted a system of citizen patrols (Sicherheitswacht) where unarmed teams of two volunteers patrol assigned areas to improve subjective security. These teams carry a radio to call for help if necessary and a white armband with black letters identifing them as a neighborhood watch patrol.
Citizens in Baden-Württemberg can participate in the Volunteer Police programme, where approx. 1,200 citizens voluntarily assist their local police in 20 towns. These volunteers are specially trained, wear uniforms and are armed. Their main duty is crime prevention: conducting walking patrols to deter street crime, patrolling near schools and kindergartens and maintaining contact with potential victims of crime and juvenile delinquents.
Citizens in Hessen also participate in a Volunteer Police program, where some citizens voluntarily assist their local police. The volunteers are trained for 50 hours, receive a blue uniform, pepper spray and a mobile phone. Their main duty is crime prevention: conducting walking patrols to deter street crime, patrolling near schools and kindergartens and maintaining contact with potential victims of crime and juvenile delinquents. People can also join the Wachpolizei which has less competencies (and less pay) than regular police to perform basic police tasks such as traffic or guard duties, releasing regular officers for patrol work.
Equipment
Transportation
German police typically use cars from German manufacturers. Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, Opel and BMW are commonly used as patrol cars (Streifenwagen). States used to prefer vehicles built in or close to the respective state. However, with most states now leasing instead of buying their vehicles and in light of European Union rules on contract bidding, states have less latitude in choosing which manufacturer will provide their patrol cars than they did.
In the Saarland which is adjacent to and historically closely tied to France, vehicles from French companies as well as European Ford are used as police cars. The Bavarian State Police uses mainly BMW and Audi vehicles, as both companies are based in Bavaria (BMW in Munich and Audi in Ingolstadt). In the eastern states of Germany, mostly Volkswagens are in use (Volkswagen is based in Wolfsburg, close to the eastern states). The Hessian police prefer Opel cars (General Motors-brand Opel is based in Rüsselsheim near Frankfurt am Main in Hessen). Baden-Württemberg mostly uses Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen brand cars for their police force.
Before the police reform in the mid-1970s, Germany had many city police forces and each had its own police car livery. Dark blue, dark green and white were popular colours. However, the dark colours were perceived as a disadvantage as many accidents occurred at night during high speed chases.
Therefore the conference of interior ministers decided on standardising police car liveries so that the cars appeared non-threatening and could be easily visible at night. And so bright green and white were the colours associated with police vehicles in Germany since the 1970s. More recently, police forces changed to silver cars and vans instead of white ones as they were easier to sell than the white ones when their police service was over. Now, most states have light blue instead of green stripes, but cars painted in the old livery can still be seen (as of April 2008).
These days, German police forces generally lease patrol cars from a manufacturer, usually for a period of three years. The leasing company marks the patrol cars using plastic foils with reflecting strips as borders instead of painting them. The foils are removed when the cars are sold to the public as standard silver used cars when the lease runs out.
Uniforms
Germany introduced green and khaki uniforms designed by Heinz Oestergaard in 1976. However, because most European countries have blue or black police uniforms, most German states as well as the federal police are introducing newly designed blue uniforms to conform with the common image of the police in Europe. At present (August 2009) only the police forces in Bavaria and the Saarland are not intending to alter the 1976 design, whereas the other states have already begun or completed the shift from green to blue.
In line with the uniforms, police vehicles and various items of equipment are also changing colour from green to blue.
See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in Germany
- Zollkriminalamt (German Customs Investigation Bureau)
- Prisons in Germany
- Staatsanwaltschaft (public prosecutor’s office)
References
- ^ Interpol entry http://www.interpol.int/Public/Region/Europe/pjsystems/Germany.asp
- ^ OSCE entry on BKA http://polis.osce.org/countries/details.php?item_id=17#Country_Profile_Section_213
- ^ OSCE Entry on BPOL http://polis.osce.org/countries/details.php?item_id=17#Country_Profile_Section_211
- ^ OSCE entry http://polis.osce.org/countries/details.php?item_id=17#Country_Profile_Section_212
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