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| Federated Police Bundespolizei | |
|---|---|
 Logo of the Federal Police | |
| Common name | Polizei (the police) |
| Abbreviation | BPOL |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 16 March 1951 (74 years ago) (1951-03-16) asBundesgrenzschutz, since 1 July 2005 namedBundespolizei |
| Employees | 51,315 (1 September 2020)[1] |
| Annual budget | €4.729 billion (2021)[2] |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Federal agency | Germany |
| Operations jurisdiction | Germany |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | BPOL-Präsidium,Potsdam |
| Police officers | 42,885[1] |
| Civilians | 8,430[1] |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community |
| BPOL-Direktions | 11
|
| Facilities | |
| Motor vehicles | 7,032[1] |
| Boats | 3 (+1 on order) offshore vessels, 3 patrol boats[1] |
| Helicopters | 94[1] |
| Service dogs | 460[1] |
| Service horses | 21[1] |
| Website | |
| www.bundespolizei.de (German) | |
TheFederal Police (German:Bundespolizei,[ˈbʊndəspoliˌtsaɪ]ⓘ,BPOL) is the national and principalfederallaw enforcement agency of theGerman Federal Government, subordinate to theFederal Ministry of the Interior and Community. The Federated Police is meant to be responsible forborder control, law enforcement acrossairports andrailways, and the protection of federal institutions.
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The BPOL has the following missions:
TheBundespolizei can also be used to reinforcestate police if requested by a state(Land) government. The BPOL maintains these reserve forces to deal with major demonstrations, disturbances or emergencies, supplementing the capabilities of theState Operational Support Units. Several highly trained detachments are available for crisis situations requiringarmored cars,water cannon or other special equipment.
BPOL investigators conduct criminal investigations only within its jurisdiction; otherwise the cases are referred to the appropriate state police force or to the federal criminal investigative agency, theFederal Criminal Police (Bundeskriminalamt, BKA).
In addition, theBundespolizei cooperates closely with German state executive authorities, such as prosecutor's offices (Staatsanwaltschaft) in pursuing criminal investigations.
On the night of 13 September 2015 Germany unilaterally reintroducedborder controls, under emergency provisions of theSchengen Agreement, due to the2015 European migrant crisis overwhelming Germany's available resources, law enforcement and otherwise.
The nominally temporary border controls were initially put in place just on the border with Austria, but by the following day (Monday 14 September 2015) they were being put in place at all borders with fellow EU members.
The same day, Austria and other EU members who were part of theSchengen Area began to put in place their own border controls (again meant to be temporary) in response to Germany's actions.
The new German border controls are to be primarily enforced both by the variousLandespolizei of those German states that adjoin external borders, and in particular by theBundespolizei.
The BPOL national headquarters (BPOL-Präsidium) inPotsdam performs all central control functions. Eight regional headquarters (BPOL-Direktion) control the BPOL stations that conduct rail police and border protection missions. These areas of responsibility conform to the federal state boundaries which they did not do prior to 1 March 2008.
The regional headquarters are as follows:
These regional headquarters each have an investigation department and a mobile inspection and observation unit. Moreover, they control the 67 BPOL stations (BPOL-Inspektion) which in turn control theBundespolizeireviere or precincts located in places that require a 24-hour presence by BPOL officers.
A specialDirektion is responsible forFrankfurt International Airport.
The central school for advanced and vocational training is in Lübeck and controls the six basic training schools inSwisttal,Neustrelitz,Oerlenbach,Walsrode,Eschwege andBamberg. It is also in charge of the Federal Police Sport School inBad Endorf and a competitive sport project in Kienbaum near Berlin. The sport school specialises in winter sport events and has trained many of Germany's top skiers and skaters such asClaudia Pechstein.
TheZentrale Direktion Bundesbereitschaftspolizei controls the mobile support and rapid reaction battalions located inBayreuth,Deggendorf, Blumberg (near Berlin),Hünfeld,Uelzen,Duderstadt,Sankt Augustin,Bad Bergzabern,Bad Düben andRatzeburg. The number ofBereitschaftspolizei companies increased in March 2008 from 28 to 29 comprising approx. 25 percent of Germany's police support units.[3]
TheBundespolizei as at 1 September 2020 consists of 51,315 personnel:
The following special units also exist:
In 1951 the West German government established the Federal Border Protection (Bundesgrenzschutz or BGS) composed of 10,000 men under the Federal Interior Ministry's jurisdiction. The force replaced allied military organisations such as theU.S. Constabulary then patrolling West Germany's borders. The BGS was described as a mobile, lightly armed police force for border and internal security despite fears that it would be the nucleus of a new German army. When West Germany did establish an army, theBundeswehr, BGS personnel were given the choice of staying in the BGS or joining the army. Most decided to join the army.
In 1953, the BGS took control of the German Passport Control Service. In 1972 theCompulsory Border Protection Service was enacted by the parliament, which – in theory – is still in force, but suspended, similar to the conscription for theBundeswehr.[5][6] In 1976, the state police grades replaced the military rank structure and BGS training was modified to closely match that of the state police forces (Landespolizei). The West German Railway Police (Bahnpolizei), formerly an independent force, and the East GermanTransportpolizei were restructured under the BGS in 1990.
In July 2005, the BGS was renamed theBundespolizei or BPOL (Federal Police) to reflect its transition to a multi-faceted federal police agency. The change also involved a shift to blue uniforms and livery for vehicles and helicopters. The German Interior Ministry reviewed the structure of the BPOL in 2007 and in March 2008 made the structure leaner to get more officers out of offices and onto patrol.
Today, German police forces generally lease patrol cars from a manufacturer, usually for a period of three years.Bundespolizei vehicles have number plates that are based on the BP XX-YYY system. BP stands forBundespolizei. Older vehicles may still have the BGS "BG" plates.
This is the main weaponry utilized by the Federal Police:
| Model | Type | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Heckler & Koch P30 | Semi-automatic pistol |  Germany |
| Heckler & Koch MP5 | Submachine gun | |
| Heckler & Koch G36 | Assault rifle |
The Federal Police now has been reduced to three flight amenities pattern of 94 helicopters. This is the largest civilian helicopter fleet in Germany.[7]
| Aircraft | Type | Versions | In service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eurocopter EC-120 | training helicopter | EC 120 | 10 |
| Eurocopter Super Puma | transport helicopter | AS 332 L1 | 19 |
| Eurocopter EC 135 | utility helicopter | EC 135 | 24 |
| Eurocopter EC 155 | transport helicopter | EC 155 B | 19 |
In May 2024, it was announced thatAirbus Helicopters will supply 38 new H225 Super Pumas to replace the 19 AS 332 and 19 EC 155 helicopters from 2025 onwards.[8]
| Aircraft | Type | Versions | In service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aérospatiale Alouette II | training and utility helicopter | SA 318C | – |
| Aérospatiale Puma | transport helicopter | SA 330 | – |
| MBB Bo 105 | rescue helicopter | Bo 105CBS | – |
BPOL provides the federal police element of theGerman Federal Coast Guard.
| Ship | Call | deployed port | Length | Commissioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bad Bramstedt | BP 24 DBGX | Neustadt in Holstein | 66 | 2002 |
| Bayreuth | BP 25 DBGY | Neustadt in Holstein | 66 | 2003 |
| Eschwege training ship since 04/2024[9] | BP 26 DBGZ | Neustadt in Holstein[9] | 66 | 2003 |
| Potsdam | BP 81 DBBM | Cuxhaven | 86 | 2019 |
| Bamberg | BP 82 DBBO | Rostock | 86 | 2019 |
| Bad Düben | BP 83 DBBP | Cuxhaven | 86 | 2019 |
| Neustadt | BP 84 DBIF | Rostock | 86 | 2023 |
Approximately 500 working dogs are used in the Federal Police at present. Most of the dogs areGerman shepherds. Other dog breeds are also used such asmalinois,German wirehaired pointer,giant schnauzer, androttweiler. They accompany their handlers on daily missions in railway facilities, at airports, at the border or in physical security. Most working dogs live with the families of their handlers. Basic and advanced training is performed under the supervision of the Federal Police Academy at the Federal Police canine schools inBleckede (Lower Saxony) andNeuendettelsau (Bavaria) where dogs and handlers go through patrol dog and explosive detection courses.
Until 2003, the federal police units had rank insignia almost identical to those used by the Schutzpolizei in the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany (the East GermanVolkspolizei had until 1990 similar rank insignia, only with a bit different number of stars for respective ranks). In 2003, the federal German police ranks and insignia were unified with those used by police units of federal lands.
Junior ranks (Mittlerer Dienst)
| Rank | Translation | Rank insignia | Equivalent rank in the Bundeswehr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polizeimeisteranwärter (PMA) | Probationary Constable |  | |
| Grenzpolizeiliche Unterstützungskraft (GUK) Bundespolizeiliche Unterstützungskraft (BUK) Polizeivollzugsangestellter (PVA) | Border Support Employee Federal Police Support Employee Enforcement Support Employee |  | |
| Polizeimeister (PM) | Police Constable (paygrade A7) |  | Feldwebel Oberfeldwebel |
| Polizeiobermeister (POM) | Senior Police Constable (paygrade A8) |  | Hauptfeldwebel |
| Polizeihauptmeister (PHM) | Police Sergeant (pay grade A9) |  | Stabsfeldwebel |
| Polizeihauptmeister mit Amtszulage (PHMmZ) | Police Staff Sergeant (pay grade A9 with increment) |  | Oberstabsfeldwebel |
Senior ranks (Gehobener Dienst)
| Rank | Translation | Rank insignia | Equivalent rank in the Bundeswehr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polizeikommissaranwärter (PKA) | Probationary Inspector |  | |
| Polizeikommissar (PK) | Junior Inspector (pay grade A9) |  | Leutnant |
| Polizeioberkommissar (POK) | Inspector (pay grade A10) |  | Oberleutnant |
| Polizeihauptkommissar A 11 (PHK) | Chief Inspector II (pay grade A11) |  | Hauptmann |
| Polizeihauptkommissar A 12 (PHK) | Chief Inspector I (pay grade A12) |  | Hauptmann |
| Erster Polizeihauptkommissar (EPHK) | Senior Chief Inspector (pay grade A13) |  | Stabshauptmann |
| Erster Polizeihauptkommissar mit Amtszulage (EPHKmZ) | Senior Chief Inspector with Official Allowance (pay grade A13 with increment) |  |
Command ranks (Höherer Dienst)
| Rank | Translation | Rank insignia | Equivalent rank in the Bundeswehr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polizeiratanwärter (PRA) | Probationary Superintendent |  | |
| Polizeirat (PR) | Superintendent ("Counselor") (pay grade A13) |  | Major |
| Polizeioberrat (POR) | Senior Superintendent (pay grade A14) |  | Oberstleutnant |
| Polizeidirektor (PD) | Director (pay grade A15) |  | Oberstleutnant |
| Leitender Polizeidirektor (LtdPD) | Senior Director (pay grade A16) |  | Oberst |
| Direktor in der Bundespolizei (als Abteilungsleiter im Bundespolizeipräsidium) | Director (Division Chief at Federal Police Headquarters) (pay grade B3) |  | Brigadegeneral |
| Präsident der Bundespolizeiakademie | President of the Federal Police Academy (pay grade B4) |  | Brigadegeneral |
| Präsident einer Bundespolizeidirektion | President of a Federal Police Directorate (pay grades B3–B6) | | Generalmajor |
| Präsident der Bundespolizeidirektion Sankt Augustin Vizepräsident beim Bundespolizeipräsidium | President of the Federal Police Directorate in Sankt Augustin (pay grade B5) Vice President of the Federal Police Headquarters (pay grade B6) |  | Generalleutnant |
| Präsident des Bundespolizeipräsidiums | President of the Federal Police Headquarters (pay grade B9) |  | General |
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| National | |
