Bundeskriminalamt (BKA)

Facts & Figures

In the past years, the world has witnessed fundamental social and political changes. Wide-ranging political changes in Europe, the establishment of global markets and the manifold use of new technologies in the economy and society, with further developments not yet foreseeable, also widen the possibilities and spheres of activity of perpetrators and criminal organisations. This results in new forms of crime as well as the emergence of new offender and crime structures.

The law enforcement agencies also have to adapt to these crime-related developments in a continuous process.

The mobility of perpetrators across state and national borders requires a national central agency for the Federal Republic of Germany to fight crime effectively. The Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) is this central agency.

The Bundeskriminalamt receives national and international messages and information that are important for efficient accomplishment of the BKA’s own police work and its service tasks, for example in the field of forensic science, identification of persons and criminal research for the federal states.

To optimise crime suppression not only at national but also at international level, the Bundeskriminalamt is the German law enforcement agency responsible for international police contacts.

The specific tasks and powers of the Bundeskriminalamt are governed by the Law on the Bundeskriminalamt. Besides its national and international function as a central agency, the Bundeskriminalamt also has to carry out law enforcement tasks in certain cases. Most of the time, these are complex proceedings which require investigations abroad, e.g. in the fields of Organised crime and offences against state security.

Moreover, the Bundeskriminalamt has to perform protective tasks, e. g. it provides for the protection of members of the constitutional bodies at federal level.

For more than 50 years, the Bundeskriminalamt has been able to make an essential contribution to combating crime, i. e. maintaining internal security and preserving peace in a free, democratic Europe.

In this context, it has reacted flexibly to the national and international crime situation through changes in its organisation, personnel, equipment and budget. This development is reflected in the “Facts and Figures”.

Staffing and Budgeting

Radical social and political changes in recent years have resulted in new developments in various areas of crime and the emergence of new crime structures.

In the past, the Bundeskriminalamt has always reacted flexibly to the changing crime situation. New forms of crime often entail additional tasks for the Bundeskriminalamt, and such new tasks require more personnel. This is particularly reflected by the staffing and budgeting developments at the BKA.

Woman at the BKA

In early 2009, There were a total of 5,103,5 positions (5.513 members of staff) at the BKA. About half of the staff is comprised of specially trained CID officers. Employees make up 36.6% of the staff. 12.7 % are administrative as well as "other" CID officers. Women make up 37.2% of the staff at the BKA.

BKA Staff Development

The budget volume of the Bundeskriminalamt for 2009 is approximately 386m €.

With the allocations for jobs and equipment provided by the Anti-Terror Package I and the Counter-Terrorism Act in the budgetary years 2002 and 2003, the personnel and financial resources of the Bundeskriminalamt have been further improved and, in particular, the instruments aimed at the suppression of international terrorism have been strengthened.

In addition to the area of personnel costs, expenditure for construction projects and IT measures are a costintensive focal point.

Budget Development since inception of BKA