Beamter/Beamtin im Landeskriminaldienst (gehobener Dienst)

Learning locations are: Universities of Applied Sciences/Colleges for Public Administration: lecture halls, seminar and exercise rooms, libraries. Criminal police departments: offices, sports facilities, shooting range. At home (e.g., preparation and follow-up of courses, completing homework).

Amendments to the Federal Civil Service Regulations came into force on March 17, 2026. They open up needs-based special access routes to counteract the shortage of skilled workers. A key focus of the reform is, among other things, the equalization of vocational and academic education. For example, in the higher technical administrative service and in the higher scientific service, access is now also possible for persons with vocational further training qualifications such as Bachelor Professional or Master Professional.

Occupation type: Civil servant training; differing career designations in the individual Bundesländer (federal states). Type of training: Studium (university studies) at Universities of Applied Sciences/Colleges for Public Administration, practical study sections in criminal police departments. Qualification: Bachelor or Diplom. Duration: 3 years. Tasks and activities: Civil servants in the higher Landeskriminaldienst (State Criminal Investigation Department) investigate and solve crimes such as murder, drug trafficking, or economic, cyber, and internet crime. To record and follow up on reports, they question suspects and witnesses and protocol their statements. At the crime scene, they search for traces and evidence, which they then evaluate using scientific methods. If extortion attempts are reported, they set up, for example, call tracing to apprehend the perpetrators. The civil servants monitor and interrogate suspects and arrest them after successful identification. If necessary, they investigate undercover, i.e., they appear as...

3 years

A selection procedure is carried out to verify the special mental, physical, and character suitability for the police profession. The selection procedure usually consists of an assessment of requirements such as general intelligence, memory, and concentration, as well as proficiency in the German language. In addition, there is a sports test, an assessment of psychological suitability (e.g., in an individual interview and a group task), and a police medical examination to determine fitness for police service.

Structure of a Bachelor's Studium (university studies) in the higher Landeskriminaldienst (State Criminal Investigation Department): Study Section I: Theoretical studies including orientation internship: 20 weeks. Study Section II: Basic training: 19 weeks. Basic internship: 12 weeks. Study Section III: Theoretical studies: 20 weeks. Specialized internship (Landeskriminalamt and other authorities): 4 weeks. Study Section IV: Theoretical studies: 20 weeks. Study Section V: Investigation procedure training: 2 weeks. Specialized internship (service departments and public prosecutor's office): 22 weeks. Training for deployment in closed units: 2 weeks. Study Section VI: Bachelor Thesis: 6 weeks. Theoretical studies: 20 weeks. Total study duration: 147 weeks (3 years).

No tuition fees are charged for the Studium (university studies). Travel expenses or costs for learning materials may arise. If accommodation is provided at the educational institutions, additional costs may also be incurred.

The Studium (university studies) content is organized in modules. Theoretical study sections cover areas such as: information technology, cybercrime, technology, covert information gathering, science, police and criminal sciences, operational doctrine, leadership doctrine, criminalistics and criminology, legal sciences (intervention law, public service law, police and administrative law, state and constitutional law), social sciences (professional ethics, political science, psychology, sociology). Practical study sections include topics such as practical operational doctrine, practical police service, shooting training, sports and operational training, investigative procedures, and interrogations.

One should be prepared for the following conditions and requirements: During theoretical Studium (university studies) sections: attend lectures and seminars in the lecture halls and seminar rooms of the university of applied sciences/university for public administration. During practical exercises: participate in forensic investigations, for example. Independent work: prepare and review lectures, research in libraries, prepare presentations, complete homework assignments (also during lecture-free periods). Organization: adhere to given deadlines for presentations and homework assignments, for example. During practical Studium (university studies) sections: practical collaboration (under guidance), for example, participate in operations in investigative services, review reports of criminal offenses. Key qualifications: expand problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills, for example. Throughout the entire Studium (university studies), proof of performance, such as module examinations, must be provided.

The exemplary monthly gross basic salary for a probationary officer is 1,549 Euros. This amount is determined by state salary laws. In addition to the basic salary, the probationary officer's remuneration includes capital-forming benefits, and possibly also family allowances and other allowances, remunerations, and surcharges.

In-depth knowledge in the following school subjects are good prerequisites for successful Studium (university studies): Law, for example, because the Studium (university studies) has a high proportion of legal sciences. German, for example, to write protocols and give presentations. Sports, for example, because it is an important part of the Studium (university studies).

The following alternatives are available for the profession of civil servant in the higher-level Landeskriminaldienst (state criminal investigation department): In the field of Law and Administration: Police officer in the Federal Police (higher non-technical service), Police officer in the higher non-technical service of the states (Bundesland), Civil servant in the higher non-technical customs service, Civil servant in the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (higher service), Civil servant at the Federal Intelligence Service (higher service). Commonality: Undertake tasks in crime fighting and prevention. In the field of Protection and Security: Civil servant in the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (higher service), Security Management (undergraduate). Commonality: Analyze security risks and reduce them through appropriate measures.

Examples of study programs: Police Service (Bachelor), Police Enforcement Service/Police Service (Bachelor), Police Enforcement Service - Criminal Police (Bachelor).

Before 1999: Depending on the federal state (Bundesland), either a preparatory service or a diploma (Diplom) study. In 1999: The Bologna Process began, reforming the European higher education landscape with goals including: creating a unified European higher education area, harmonizing study programs and degrees by introducing Bachelor's and Master's degrees, and improving the mobility of students and lecturers. From 2000 onwards: Some study programs were converted to Bachelor's degrees, while individual diploma (Diplom) programs continued to exist.

The training in the higher-level state criminal service typically takes place as a 3-year preparatory service or Bachelor's degree (Studium). It is regulated by federal state (Bundesland) ordinances. The training concludes with a career/Bachelor's examination.

The study is regulated by state law and leads to the following degree/professional titles: Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg: Bachelor of Arts - Police Enforcement Service/Police Service (B.A. - Polizeivollzugsdienst/Police Service). Bavaria: Diplom-Verwaltungswirt/Diplom-Verwaltungswirtin (FH). Berlin: Bachelor of Arts - Higher Police Enforcement Service. Bremen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringia: Bachelor of Arts - Police Enforcement Service (B.A. - Polizeivollzugsdienst). Hamburg: Bachelor of Arts - Police (B.A. - Polizei). Hesse: Bachelor of Arts - Police Enforcement Service (Criminal Police) (B.A. - Kriminalpolizei). Rhineland-Palatinate: Bachelor of Arts - Police Service (B.A. - Polizeidienst). Saarland: Diplom-Verwaltungswirt/Diplom-Verwaltungswirtin. Career titles: Official - State Criminal Service (higher service), Official - Criminal Police (higher service), Official - Criminal Police (career group 2, first entry level).

After their studies, officials in the higher-level state criminal service work in criminal police departments, e.g., in criminal commissioner's offices, police directorates, or state criminal investigation offices. They can keep their specialized knowledge up-to-date through adaptive further training. The range of topics extends from personal protection to administrative law. With appropriate aptitude, officials in the higher-level state criminal service have the opportunity to move to the next higher career path after a successful promotion procedure. Further studies can also be considered. For example, it is a natural progression to obtain a Master's degree in Criminology.

Depending on the federal state (Bundesland), the following specializations are offered, e.g.: General Criminology, Cybercrime Criminology.

The Studium (university studies) for civil servant careers is regulated by the Bundesländer (federal states) in their own ordinances. The respective provisions may differ from one another. As a rule, the ordinances for police enforcement service also regulate the Studium in the Landeskriminaldienst (state criminal investigation department). For example, there are regulations such as the Ministry of Interior's ordinance on training and examination for the higher police enforcement service (APrO-gPVD) and the ordinance on the establishment of career paths for the police enforcement service (LVO-PVD). Additionally, the ordinance on the specialized career path for police and constitutional protection (Fach V-Pol/VS) is also in place.

The prerequisite is usually the Fachhochschulreife (university of applied sciences entrance qualification) or the allgemeine Hochschulreife (general university entrance qualification) or a comparable educational qualification. Applicants with a secondary school diploma and possibly a completed Berufsausbildung (vocational training) may also be admitted in some Bundesländer (federal states). However, these applicants must acquire the Fachhochschulreife before starting the preparatory service, for example, through a Fachoberschule (technical secondary school) education as a police intern. Furthermore, applicants must meet the requirements for police service suitability (e.g., health requirements, minimum physical height).