Volkspolizei

The Volkspolizei (German for the "people's police"), or VP, was the national police of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). The Volkspolizei was responsible for most law enforcement in East Germany, but its organisation and structure were such that it could be considered a paramilitary force as well. Unlike typical police in most countries, they were equipped with armoured personnel carriers and artillery and trained as military units.

While any East German citizen could be a non-commissioned officer, all members of the commissioned officer corps were required to be members of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED), as the force was expected to maintain the interests of the party and its regime as well as public order. The VP was founded after World War II, taking the East German remnant of the Nazi Ordnungspolizei (Orpo) and Kriminalpolizei (Kripo), and was abolished after German reunification. East Germans nicknamed the Volkspolizei the VoPo.

Read more about Volkspolizei:  History, Organization, Leadership, Recruitment, Training, Effectiveness, Oath, Uniforms, Waffenfarben