Law Enforcement in Germany - Uniforms

Uniforms

From 1945 all German police forces wore different colored uniforms but since the mid seventies the police of all West German Länder and West Berlin have worn the same uniform, most parts designed by Heinz Oestergaard in the early seventies. The standard uniform consists of tunic, parka, pullover without shroud, coat, visor cap and neck tie in moss-green, trouser, pullover and cardigan in brown-beige, shirt (long and short sleeve) in bamboo-yellow. Shoes, boots, holsters, leather jackets and other leather gear were black. Leather gloves were olive-drab. Exceptions: Visor caps with a white top were worn by the Verkehrspolizei, by the Schutzpolizei during traffic regulation. White gloves, tunics and coats were worn during traffic regulation and by the Verkehrspolizei during ceremonial duties (like white holsters and leather gear). In some Länder all officers worn visor caps with white tops in general. The Wasserschutzpolizei worn standard uniforms of a slightly different design. Instead of moss-green anything was (and still is) dark-/navy-blue, the shirt was white and the visor cap had a white top. The BGS wore an all forest green uniform with bamboo-yellow shirt. After German Reunification the Volkspolizei was broken up into Landespolizei and switched to the standard uniform. During the period of transition they still worn their old uniforms but with western style sleeve and cap ensigns.

However, because most European countries have blue or black police uniforms, most German states as well as the federal police are introducing newly designed blue uniforms to conform with the common blue image of the police in Europe. At present (August 2009) only the police forces in Bavaria and the Saarland are not intending to alter the Oestergaard design, whereas the other states have already begun or completed the shift from green to blue.

In line with the uniforms, police vehicles and various items of equipment are also changing colour from green to blue.