Federal Police (Germany)

The Bundespolizei (BPOL) is a (primarily) uniformed federal police force in Germany. It is subordinate to the Federal Ministry of the Interior (Bundesministerium des Innern (BMI)). Ordinary police forces (which are much more sizable in combined numbers) 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") and had a more restricted role until July 1, 2005 when the law renaming the BGS as the BPOL was enacted. Prior to 1994 BPOL members also had military combatant status due to their historical foundation and border guard role.

Missions

The BPOL has the following missions:

• border security, (Grenzpolizei or Grepo) to include passport control and the provision of coast guard services along Germany's 700 km coasts.
• protection of federal buildings and foreign embassies in the Federal capital, Berlin, and the Federal City, Bonn; they also protect the two highest German courts, both in Karlsruhe:
• the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany (Bundesverfassungsgericht) and
• the Federal Court of Justice of Germany (Bundesgerichtshof)
• providing the federal government's mobile response force for internal security events,
• providing transportation security at international airports and......
...

Read More