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POLICE AND CRIME CONTROL IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

NCJ Number
47266
Journal
Police Studies Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 55-61
Author(s)
K H GEMMER
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
AN OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION AND ROLE OF THE POLICE IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE REPUBLIC IS A FEDERAL STATE DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL INDIVIDUAL STATES. THERE ARE ABOUT 156,000 POLICE OFFICERS IN THE 11 STATES PLUS 25,000 FEDERAL OFFICERS, MOST OF WHOM SERVE AS BORDER POLICE. FEDERAL POLICE ACTIVITIES ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BUNDESKRIMINALAMT (FEDERAL OFFICE OF CRIMINAL POLICE), WHICH IS THE CENTRAL AGENCY FOR CRIME SUPPRESSION IN THE REPUBLIC, AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL DATA-PROCESSING AGENCY. THE STATE POLICE FORCES ARE ORGANIZED AS FOLLOWS: SQUADS, CONSTABULARIES; DETECTIVES; RIVER POLICE; AND POLICE ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT. RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING ARE DONE PRIMARILY BY POLICE SCHOOLS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS. NEARLY ALL TRAINING IS INSERVICE. TRAINING CURRICULUMS ARE UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE STATES. PRIVATE POLICE, CALLED POLITESSEN, ARE EMPLOYED BY LARGER TOWNS, PRIMARILY TO ASSIST THE POLICE IN HANDLING PARKING VIOLATIONS. THE FEDERATION AND THE STATE GOVERNMENTS JOINTLY OPERATE AND USE AN ELECTRONIC DATA-PROCESSING NETWORK CALLED INPOL. THERE ARE PLANS TO INTEGRATE THE ENTIRE POLICE INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM INTO THE ELECTRONIC DATA-PROCESSING SCHEME. CRIME DATA FOR 1963 THROUGH 1976 AND DETAILED DATA ON SPECIFIC OFFENSES AND CLEARANCE RATES FOR 1976 AND 1975 ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)