of the
Schutzpolizei In each state police department, there was a state protection police command ('
), led by a chief of the local protection police (') .
Patrol branch Under the protection police command was a territorial police organization for the patrol branch (''''). It was consisted of three levels: •
Polizeirevier =
precinct (20–40 policemen, with a population of 20–30,000 people) •
Polizeiabschnitt = police areas (five or more precincts) •
Polizeigruppe = police groups (three to five police areas; only in
Berlin,
Vienna and
Hamburg)
Barracked police 1940; eating The barracked police (
Kasernierte Polizei) was a predecessor of today's German
Bereitschaftspolizei riot police. It was normally organized in company-sized units (
Hundertschaften) in larger cities. During
World War II, the barracked police formed the core of
police battalions serving in
German-occupied Europe and the rear of the
German army. Also in the barracked police were motorized special units (
Motorisierte Uberfallkommandos) equipped with
armored cars. During the war, they were deployed to Western Europe to suppress anti-German demonstrations as well as to
occupied Slovenia to keep the alpine roads open and combat local resistance. During the war, police guard battalions (
Polizei-Wachbataillone) were established, consisting of conscripted personnel in their fifties who were too old to be called up to the
Wehrmacht. Each battalion consisted of 350–500 men, and each
military district (
Wehrkreis) had 3–4 guard battalions. They were armed with rifles and a small number of light machine guns. The main tasks of the guard battalions were maintaining order and controlling traffic in connection with civil defense efforts in locations subjected to Allied bombings.
Traffic police Fifty-one traffic police units (
Motorisierte Verkehrsbereitschaften) were formed in 1937 for traffic control in the larger cities.
Nazi Germany's enlargement led to more such units being added in the incorporated areas. Traffic police were equipped with patrol cars, patrol motorcycles, and command vehicles. In cities with over 200,000 inhabitants, there were also specific traffic accident units (
Verkehrsunfallbereitschaften) equipped with special vehicles for traffic accidents. In 1941, a
Motorisierte Verkehrskompanie zbV was established to ensure that wartime traffic regulations were complied with, such as rules concerning driving permits and gasoline rationing. Its five platoons operated over the entire country.
Mounted police The mounted police was either an independent unit or part of a larger unit that also contained foot patrols. The basic units were the
Polizei-Reiterstaffeln (mounted troops). By 1938, Berlin,
Königsberg,
Stettin,
Breslau, and
Gleiwitz had gained larger specific mounted police units, each consisting of three solely mounted units. In other cities, the mounted troops formed part of combined units. During the war, police cavalry regiments and battalions were part of the police battalions serving in German-occupied countries.
Police communications Police signal squads (
Polizei-Nachrichtenstaffeln) were the local components of the police communications service. Radio, telephone,
telex were used on their own secure lines, separate from the general public. Mobile radio stations along the highways and in larger cities belonged to special
Nachrichtenbereitschaften (signal companies). During the war, police signal companies formed part of the Police Battalions serving in the occupied countries. ==Personnel==