Central
- Limited competences listed in Article 73 BL
- Civil protection (“Zivilschutz)
- Federal Police Force (BPOL) was given more tasks due to the constitutional reform in 2006 and is now tasked with:
- Border protection
- Counterterrorism
- Protection federal buildings
- Air marshals
- Transport security (railway and airports)
- German embassies security
- Rapid response force for internal events
- The “Bundeskriminalamt" (BKA or Federal Crime Agency) is responsible for the protection of federal officials, fighting organised international crime, and to coordinate law enforcement with the “Landeskriminalamt" (LKA) of the different Länder as well as national agencies of international partners.
- Police at the Bundestag
- Coast Guard
- Police Academy
- Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (“Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe") responsible for disaster management, provides emergency supplies and carries out emergency planning with regard to special hazards, protection of critical infrastructures, training in civil protection and disaster relief, disaster medicine, alerting and informing the population, and supports planning activities in the area of international cooperation with the participation of all national civil defence agencies.
Areas of cooperation between Bund and Länder:
- Joint Centre for Terrorism Prevention (“Gemeinsames Terrorismusabwehrzentrum") organised under the BKA
Regional
- Main competence of the Länder based on Article 30 BL.
- Germany's main body of law enforcement with about 220.000 police officers, the “Landespolizei"
- General policing duties (patrolling streets, etc.)
- Criminal investigations
- SWAT teams
- Person protection
- Undercover units
- Traffic police
- Highway patrol
- River police
- State Police Academy
- Disaster control (“Katastrophenschutz") based on Article 70GG
Intermediate level - Kreise
- Responsible for the “Kreisfeuerwehrbereitschaften" which provide assistance in case of major incidents.
Local
- Responsible for the functioning and equipment of the fire departments
- Stadtpolizei (city police)
Responsible ministries/bodies
Federal Ministry of the Interior
Sources
German Basic Law
Möllers, M. & van Ooyen, R. (2008), Bundeskriminalamt, Bundespolizei und „neue“ Sicherheiten, APuZ 48/2008
Feuerwehrverband (Fire Brigade Association)
Federal Police
Groß, H. (2008), Deutsche Länderpolizeien, APuZ 48/2008
