148. What is a task of the police in Germany?

Answer options

1. to defend the country
2. to wiretap citizens
3. to enact laws
4. to monitor compliance with laws

Explanation

In the Federal Republic, the police’s core functions are averting dangers (Gefahrenabwehr) and criminal law enforcement; this includes monitoring compliance with the legal order. Police powers are primarily a Länder competence (Arts. 30, 70 Basic Law); the Federation maintains the Federal Police and the BKA with narrowly defined, statutory tasks. National defense is the responsibility of the armed forces (Art. 87a Basic Law); the strict separation of military and police reflects lessons from German history. “Wiretapping” citizens is not a general police task; any interference with the secrecy of telecommunications (Art. 10) is permissible only on a statutory basis, under stringent conditions and judicial or independent oversight, consistent with the separation between police and intelligence services.