Germany police · Police in Germany  TodayTourism All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels

Police in Germany


Police in Germany

German Police (German: Polizei) officers are usually helpful but tend to be rather strict. When dealing with them it's usually best to remain calm, courteous and avoid getting into confrontations. Many were trained to deal with tourists in preparation for the 2006 World Cup, so they should speak basic English or have colleagues who do so. Police are employed by the states except in airports, train stations, border crossings etc. which are controlled by the federal police (Bundespolizei). In mid-sized towns and big cities, local police are called Stadtpolizei, kommunale Polizeibehörde or Ordnungsamt (in some states, the Ordnungsamt does have law enforcement rights) and are in general responsible for traffic issues and small crimes. Labour issues are controlled by the customs services. Police uniforms are green or blue. Green was the standard colour but some states have started a transition to blue uniforms (and cars) to comply with the EU standard. The federal police has already changed to blue uniforms, and customs will keep their green uniforms. The police and custom officers work together to control illegal immigration and the black labour market, mainly at construction sites and small businesses. By law you must have social security papers/working permit and identicifation card/passport with you when you work at construction sites. The police are generally very helpful but they have heard all the stories about "I forgot my papers" before and will likely be skeptical about any explanation. Legally, only people at construction sitesneeds to carry photo ID/passport, every other person just has to own such papers, but don't need to carry them - to avoid trouble, it's common sense to take them with you while going outside. If you don't have it the police will take you to the police station and check your background. Therefore, it is always recommended to have at least copies of your papers as you are avoiding lengthy procedures with law enforcement officals. If you get arrested, you have the right to have an attorney. Foreign nationals also have the right to contact their respective embassy for assistance. You are never obliged to make any statement that would incriminate yourself. In fact you don't have to make any statements at all - you have the right to remain silent and you should use that right. Wait until your lawyer arrives and talk to your lawyer first. If you don't have a lawyer, call your embassy (or someone else who can find one for you) or the local justice official will appoint a lawyer for you. The local police probably won't like this behaviour ("it's for your own good!") but it is the best course of action if you want to avoid further trouble.

The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Germany


Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Germany - updated Mar 2024

SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Germany hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!


>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<

WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020


Germany Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.

Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | All Destinations