The Federal Criminal Police Office : Germany

The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), which is based in Wiesbaden with a main department near Bonn, is the focal point of cooperation between the federal and state law enforcement agencies. It becomes involved when criminals operate across state boundaries or internationally. The Federal Criminal Police Office collects and evaluates information and other data to aid the criminal police in combating crime; it is the main body for crimino-logical research and serves as the national center for Interpol, the international criminal police organization.

The Federal Criminal Police Office itself handles certain serious crimes such as international drug trafficking, gun-running and terrorist activities. Its security unit in Bonn protects the members of Germany’s constitutional bodies and their foreign guests of state.The Federal Criminal Police Office with its staff of about 4,800 comes under the authority of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.