Federal Police (Germany)

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Federal Police
Bundespolizei
Common name Federal Police
Abbreviation BPOL
Badge of the BPOL (since 2005)
Agency Overview
Formed 2005 July 1
Preceding agency Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS) (Federal Border Guard)
Employees 40,000
Legal personality Governmental agency
Jurisdictional Structure
Federal agency Germany
General nature
Operational Structure
Headquarters BPOL-Präsidium, Potsdam
Police Officers 30,000
Civilians 10,000
BPOL-Direktions
9
Facilities
Stations 67
Helicopters 132
Website
http://www.bundespolizei.de/ (German)

The Bundespolizei (BPOL) is the (primarily) uniformed federal police force of Germany. It is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of the Interior (Bundesministerium des Innern) [1]. Ordinary police forces fall under the administration of the individual German states (Bundesländer) and are known as the Landespolizei.

The Bundespolizei was previously known as the Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS) ("Federal Border Guard") until July 1, 2005 when the law renaming the BGS as the BPOL was enacted. Prior to 1994 BPOL members had combattant status.

Contents

[edit] Missions

The BPOL has the following missions:

The Bundespolizei can also be used to reinforce state police if requested to do so by a state (Land) government. The BPOL maintains these reserve forces to deal with major demonstrations, disturbances or emergencies to supplement 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.

The BPOL has investigators who conducts 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 (Bundeskriminalamt, BKA).

[edit] Strength

With horses and police cars in Dresden.
With horses and police cars in Dresden.

The Bundespolizei consists of around 40,000 personnel,

  • 30,000 are fully trained police officers.
    • 21,000 provide border, railway and aviation security,
    • 6,000 serve in the Alert Police
    • 3,000 serve in special units such as the Central Office for Communications and Information, GSG 9 and the Aviation Wing,
  • 10,000 salaried civilian (unarmed) support personnel,
    • 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 flight passenger checks.

[edit] Organisation

An excavation vehicle
An excavation vehicle
BMW standard patrol car
BMW standard patrol car
Bundesgrenzschutz patch (1952 to 1976)
Bundesgrenzschutz patch (1952 to 1976)

The BPOL national headquarters (BPOL-Präsidium) is in Potsdam performing all central control functions. Eight regional headquarters (BPOL-Direktion) control the BPOL stations conducting 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 the Bundespolizeireviere or precincts located in places that require a 24-hour presence by BPOL officers.

A special Direktion is responsible for Frankfurt International Airport.

The central school for advanced and vocational training is in Lübeck and controls the five basic training schools in Swisttal, Neustrelitz, Oerlenbach, Walsrode and Eschwege. It is also in charge of the Federal Police Sport School in Bad Endorf and a competitive sport project in Cottbus. 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 (near Berlin), 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. [2]


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 (north, with satellite airfield in Gifhorn), Blumberg (east), Fuldatal (centre), Oberschleissheim (south) and Sankt Augustin (west).
  • 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.
German Federal Police cutter BP21 Bredstedt
German Federal Police cutter BP21 Bredstedt

[edit] History

BGS camouflage pattern for tents and uniforms (1952 to 1976)
BGS camouflage pattern for tents and uniforms (1952 to 1976)
Bundesgrenzschutz garrison cap
Bundesgrenzschutz garrison cap
BGS canteen made in 1957
BGS canteen made in 1957

In 1951 the German government established a Federal Border Protection Force (Bundesgrenzschutz or BGS) composed of 10,000 men under the Federal Interior Ministry’s jurisdiction. The force replaced allied military organisations such as the U.S. Constabulary then patrolling Germany’s international 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 West German army. When West Germany did raise an army, 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 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 German Transportpolizei were restructured under the BGS in 1990. In July 2005, the BGS was renamed the Bundespolizei or BPOL (Federal Police) to reflect its transition to a multi-faceted police agency. The change also involved the 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.

[edit] Vehicles

A Bundespolizei van with the new colour scheme and old license plates
A Bundespolizei van with the new colour scheme and old license plates

Bundespolizei vehicles have license 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

YYY is a combination of up to three numbers.

[edit] Aircraft inventory

A Eurocopter EC-155 of the Bundespolizei (note: all Bundespolizei helicopters are to be repainted blue in the near future)
A Eurocopter EC-155 of the Bundespolizei (note: all Bundespolizei helicopters are to be repainted blue in the near future)


Aircraft Origin Type Versions In service Notes
Aérospatiale Alouette II Flag of France France training and utility helicopter SA 318C 10 will be now replaced with Eurocopter EC-135 and Eurocopter EC-120
Aérospatiale Puma Flag of France France transport helicopter SA 330 22 will be partly replaced with Eurocopter Cougar
Eurocopter EC-120 Flag of Europe European Union training helicopter EC 120 6
Bell 212 Flag of the United States United States rescue- / transport helicopter Bell 212 2 / 8 will be now replaced with Eurocopter EC-135 and EC-155
MBB Bo 105 Flag of Germany Germany rescue helicopter Bo 105CBS 14 will be now replaced with Eurocopter EC-135T2i
Eurocopter Cougar Flag of Europe European Union transport helicopter AS 332 L1 13
Eurocopter EC 135 Flag of Europe European Union utility helicopter EC 135 42 [3]
Eurocopter EC 155 Flag of Europe European Union transport helicopter EC 155 B 15 [4]

[edit] Reputation

In general, the BPOL has a positive reputation among German citizens. It is perceived as a source of security and as a well-trained, professional organisation. The fact that the Bundespolizei does not perform normal police duties such as writing speeding tickets, might contribute to this perception. Its counter-terrorist unit, GSG 9, is well known.

German human rights organizations such as "Pro Asyl" have repeatedly criticized the Bundespolizei for its alleged heavy-handed approach in the deportation of asylum seekers which, in the case of Sudanese refugee Amir Ageeb, allegedly resulted in his death onboard a Lufthansa aircraft. For more information see Human rights in Germany.

[edit] See also

Landespolizei - German State Police

Volkspolizei- Former East German Police

[edit] References

  1. ^ OSCE Entry on BPOL http://polis.osce.org/countries/details.php?item_id=17#Country_Profile_Section_211
  2. ^ Official BPOL news release on reorganisation (in German)
  3. ^ Eurocopter hands over the first of a total of six EC120 training helicopters to the German Ministry of the Interior – marking the 500th EC120 delivery to date. German Federal Police purchases latest generation light helicopters for use in ab initio pi
  4. ^ EADS N.V. - German Federal Border Guard Becomes World's Largest Operator Of EC 135 and EC 155

[edit] External links

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