Bahnpolizei
Encyclopedia
Bahnpolizei is the term in Germany
, Austria
and the German-speaking parts of Switzerland
for the Railway police.
and fell under the jurisdiction of the Deutsche Bundesbahn
federal railway company. Bahnpolizei officers investigated trespassing on rail property, assaults against passengers, terrorism threats targeting the railway, arson, tagging of graffiti on railroad rolling stock or buildings, signal vandalism, pickpocketing, ticket fraud, robbery and theft of personal belongings, baggage or freight. They also investigated train/vehicle collisions and hazardous materials releases.
In 1992 the railway security mission was transferred from the Bahnpolizei to the Bundesgrenzschutz
Federal Border Guard Force. The BGS had already taken on these duties in 1990 for the territory of the former East Germany, replacing the former East German Transportpolizei. The Bundesgrenzschutz was renamed Bundespolizei
(Federal Police) on July 1, 2005, and this force is currently responsible for security and passenger checks on the German railway system.
and the resulting Securitrans is now the force that protects Switzerland's trains, passengers, rail property and rail workers. Beginning in 2011, the rail police of Switzerland are public employees, with all officers attending two years of police academy training with final certification.
They are armed with PR-24 police batons, pepper spray, and handcuffs.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and the German-speaking parts of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
for the Railway police.
Germany
Bahnpolizei was the name of the former Railway police of West GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and fell under the jurisdiction of the Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn
The Deutsche Bundesbahn or DB was formed as the state railway of the newly established Federal Republic of Germany on September 7, 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft '...
federal railway company. Bahnpolizei officers investigated trespassing on rail property, assaults against passengers, terrorism threats targeting the railway, arson, tagging of graffiti on railroad rolling stock or buildings, signal vandalism, pickpocketing, ticket fraud, robbery and theft of personal belongings, baggage or freight. They also investigated train/vehicle collisions and hazardous materials releases.
In 1992 the railway security mission was transferred from the Bahnpolizei to the Bundesgrenzschutz
Bundesgrenzschutz
Bundesgrenzschutz was the first federal police organization in Western Germany after World War II permitted by the Allied occupation authorities. In July 2005, the BGS was renamed Bundespolizei to reflect its transition to a multi-faceted police agency.It was established in 1951...
Federal Border Guard Force. The BGS had already taken on these duties in 1990 for the territory of the former East Germany, replacing the former East German Transportpolizei. The Bundesgrenzschutz was renamed Bundespolizei
Bundespolizei
Bundespolizei is German for Federal Police and may refer to:*Federal Police *Federal Police...
(Federal Police) on July 1, 2005, and this force is currently responsible for security and passenger checks on the German railway system.
Switzerland
Switzerland never had a separate transport police because all rail employees had limited police authority. However, due to the introduction of trains with no conductors in the late 1990s, crime in trains increased and the Swiss Federal Railways rail company trained Bahnpolizei officers for its driver-only commuter trains. In 2002 the SBB-CFF-FFS merged its Bahnpolizei force with the private security company Securitas AGSecuritas AG
Securitas AG is a Swiss family company providing security services with head office in Zollikofen, regional offices in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Olten, St...
and the resulting Securitrans is now the force that protects Switzerland's trains, passengers, rail property and rail workers. Beginning in 2011, the rail police of Switzerland are public employees, with all officers attending two years of police academy training with final certification.
They are armed with PR-24 police batons, pepper spray, and handcuffs.