Federal Police (Germany)
The Federal Police is a uniformed federal police force in Germany. It is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Ordinary police forces, meanwhile, are under the administration of the individual German states and are known as the Landespolizei.
The Bundespolizei was formed from the Bundesgrenzschutz , which had a more restricted role, the West German Railway Police, formerly an independent force; and the East German Transportpolizei in 1990.
Prior to 1994 BGS members also had military combatant status due to their historical foundation and border-guard role in West Germany. In July 2005 the law renaming the BGS as the BPOL was enacted.
Missions
The BPOL has the following missions:- Border security, to include passport control and the provision of coast guard services along Germany's of coastline.
- Providing transportation security at international airports and on German railways.
- Providing air marshals.
- Providing counter-terrorism forces.
- Providing the federal government's mobile response force for internal security events.
- Protection of federal buildings such as Schloss Bellevue, the residence of the German Bundespräsident; they also protect the two highest German courts, both in Karlsruhe:
- * The Federal Constitutional Court and
- * The Federal Court of Justice
- Supporting international police missions for the United Nations and EU in Kosovo, Sudan, Liberia, Afghanistan, Gaza Strip, Moldova and Georgia.
- Providing in-house security for some German embassies.
- Providing rescue helicopter service.
The Bundespolizei can also be used to reinforce state police if requested by a state government. The BPOL maintains these reserve forces to deal with major demonstrations, disturbances or emergencies, supplementing the capabilities of the State Operational Support Units. Several highly trained detachments are available for crisis situations requiring armored 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, the Federal Criminal Police.
In addition, the Bundespolizei cooperates closely with German state executive authorities, such as prosecutor's offices in pursuing criminal investigations.
Restoration of border control tasking on all borders (2015)
On the night of 13 September 2015 Germany unilaterally reintroduced border controls, under emergency provisions of the Schengen Agreement, due to the 2015 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 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 the Schengen Area began to put in place their own border controls in response to Germany's actions.The new German border controls are to be primarily enforced both by the various Landespolizei of those German states that adjoin external borders, and in particular by the Bundespolizei.
Strength
The Bundespolizei consists of 48,686 personnel:- 33,084 are fully trained police officers.
- *21,000 provide border, railway and aviation security.
- *6,000 serve in the Alert Police.
- *3,000 serve in the following special units:
- ** The Central Office for Communications and Information.
- ** GSG 9.
- ** The Aviation Wing.
- 7,528 candidates
- 8,074 salaried civilian support personnel, including:
- *6,800 civil servants who perform administrative and support services.
- *2,000 Immigration inspectors who perform operational duty handling border protection and immigration matters and airline passenger checks.
Organization
The regional headquarters are as follows:
- Bad Bramstedt covering Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
- Hanover covering Bremen, Hamburg and Lower Saxony.
- Sankt Augustin covering North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Koblenz covering Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse.
- Stuttgart covering Baden-Württemberg.
- Munich covering Bavaria.
- Pirna covering Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.
- Berlin covering Berlin and Brandenburg.
A special Direktion is responsible for Frankfurt International Airport.
The central school for advanced and vocational training is in Lübeck and controls the six basic training schools in Swisttal, Neustrelitz, Oerlenbach, Walsrode, Eschwege and Bamberg. It is also in charge of the Federal Police Sport School in Bad 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 as Claudia Pechstein.
The Zentrale Direktion Bundesbereitschaftspolizei controls the mobile support and rapid reaction battalions located in Bayreuth, Deggendorf, Blumberg, Hünfeld, Uelzen, Duderstadt, Sankt Augustin, Bad Bergzabern, Bad Düben and Ratzeburg. The number of Bereitschaftspolizei companies increased in March 2008 from 28 to 29 comprising approx. 25 percent of Germany’s police support units.
BPOL Special Units
The following special units also exist:- The BPOL Aviation Group is directly subordinate to the BPOL HQ in Potsdam. It controls the five aviation squadrons around the country that operate the force's helicopters. These are located in Fuhlendorf, Blumberg, Fuldatal, Oberschleißheim and Sankt Augustin. Its duties include; border surveillance, monitoring installations belonging to German Rail, helping in serious accidents and disasters in Germany and abroad, searching for missing persons, searching for criminals on the run, supporting the police forces of the federal states, providing transportation for persons whose security is endangered, providing transportation for guests of the Federal government, supporting federal and state authorities, and providing air search and rescue services in coordination with the 12 air rescue centers throughout Germany.
- The BFE+ Units are a specialized division of regular BPOL arresting units, for quick response of terrorist attacks. The units where subsequently battled 2015 after the Charlie Hebdo attacks in France, due to respond faster and with higher firepower to massive terrorist attacks. BFE+ are decentralized and work as a first responder until the more specialized and centralized GSG9 arrive at the scene. The personal equipment is likely the same as SEK officers are wearing.
- The GSG 9 counter-terrorism group is directly subordinate to the BPOL HQ.
- The BPOL Information and Communications Center is now a department of the BPOL HQ in Potsdam.
- Most special units of the Federal Police are subordinate to the unified command of Federal Police Directorate 11.
- The water police stations with 16 patrol craft and helicopters are part of the German Federal Coast Guard and assigned to coastal BPOL stations. The watercraft include six offshore patrol vessels, e.g. those of the Bad Bramstedt class, and the large Potsdam class as well as a number of fast inshore vessels and one tugboat.
History
In 1953, the BGS took control of the German Passport Control Service. In 1972 the Compulsory Border Guard Service was enacted by the parliament, which - in theory - is still in force, but suspended, similar to the conscription for the Bundeswehr. 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. The West German Railway Police, formerly an independent force, and the East German Transportpolizei were restructured under the BGS in 1990.
In July 2005, the BGS was renamed the Bundespolizei or BPOL 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.
Vehicles
Bundespolizei vehicles have number plates that are based on the BP XX-YYY system. BP stands for Bundespolizei. Older vehicles may still have the BGS "BG" plates.XX is a number from 10 to 55 indicating the type of vehicle:
- 10 to 12: Motorcycle
- 15 to 19: Car
- 20 to 24: Four wheel drive car
- 25 to 29: Car
- 30 to 39: Medium four wheel drive vehicle
- 40 to 49: Trucks and buses
- 50 to 54: Armoured cars.
- 55: Trailers
The Bundespolizei have favoured, and in some cases still favor, the following types of car:
- BMW 5 Series sedans and station wagons
- Volkswagen Passat sedans and Variant station wagons
- Volkswagen Golf
- Volkswagen Transporter vans
Weaponry
This is some of the weaponry utilized by the Federal Police:- H&K G36
- H&K MP5
- H&K P30
Aircraft inventory
of the Bundespolizei in the new livery
| Aircraft | Type | Versions | In service | Notes |
| Eurocopter EC-120 | training helicopter | EC 120 | 8 | replaced Allouette II in training role |
| Eurocopter Super Puma | transport helicopter | AS 332 L1 | 22 | 3 more on order |
| Eurocopter EC 135 | utility helicopter | EC 135 | 42 | replaced Allouette II, Bell UH-1D in liaison and MEDEVAC role |
| Eurocopter EC 155 | transport helicopter | EC 155 B | 19 |
Former aircraft
K-9 support
Approximately 500 working dogs are used in the Federal Police at present. Most of the dogs are German shepherds. Other dog breeds are also used such as malinois, Dutch shepherd, German wirehaired pointer, giant schnauzer, and rottweiler. 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 in Bleckede and Neuendettelsau where dogs and handlers go through patrol dog and explosive detection courses.Ranks
Junior ranks| Rank | Translation | Rank insignia | Equivalent rank in the Bundeswehr |
| Polizeimeisteranwärter | Probationary Constable | ||
| Grenzpolizeiliche Unterstützungskraft Bundespolizeiliche Unterstützungskraft Polizeivollzugsangestellter | Border Support Officer Federal Support Officer Corrections Support Employee | ||
| Polizeimeister | Constable | Feldwebel Oberfeldwebel | |
| Polizeiobermeister | Senior Police Constable | Hauptfeldwebel | |
| Polizeihauptmeister | Police Sergeant | Stabsfeldwebel | |
| Polizeihauptmeister mit Amtszulage | Police Staff Sergeant | Oberstabsfeldwebel |
Senior ranks
| Rank | Translation | Rank insignia | Equivalent rank in the Bundeswehr |
| Polizeikommissaranwärter | Probationary Inspector | ||
| Polizeikommissar | Junior Inspector | Leutnant | |
| Polizeioberkommissar | Inspector | Oberleutnant | |
| Polizeihauptkommissar A 11 | Chief Inspector II | Hauptmann | |
| Polizeihauptkommissar A 12 | Chief Inspector I | Hauptmann | |
| Erster Polizeihauptkommissar | Senior Chief Inspector | Stabshauptmann |
Command ranks
| Rank | Translation | Rank insignia | Equivalent rank in the Bundeswehr | - |
| Polizeiratanwärter | Probationary Superintendent | - | ||
| Polizeirat | Superintendent | Major | - | |
| Polizeioberrat | Chief Superintendent | Oberstleutnant | - | |
| Polizeidirektor | Senior Chief Superintendent | Oberstleutnant | - | |
| Leitender Polizeidirektor | Deputy Director | Oberst | ||
| Direktor in der Bundespolizei | Director | Brigadegeneral | - | |
| Präsident der Bundespolizeiakademie | President of the Federal Police Academy | Brigadegeneral | - | |
| Präsident einer Bundespolizeidirektion | President of Police | Generalmajor | - | |
| Präsident der Bundespolizeidirektion Sankt Augustin Vizepräsident beim Bundespolizeipräsidium | President of the Police Department Sankt Augustin Vice President of the Federal Police Central Office | Generalleutnant | - | |
| Präsident des Bundespolizeipräsidiums | President of the Federal Police Central Office '' | General | - |