What to know about talking to the police in Germany
tasers
, according to media reports this week.
Also in Berlin officers recently gained new powers to stop and search people on public transport without grounds for suspicion as the city
cracks down on knives and other weapons
on its public transportation system.
Should you happen to be stopped by police for any reason, it's always wise to maintain a certain degree of respect in your communication with them - and in Germany, knowing at least a few simple phrases in German can help as well.
Here are some phrases to know to help you navigate any interactions with Germany's law enforcement agents, and hopefully avoid any possible misunderstandings.
Avoid use of the informal 'du' with police officers
Strictly speaking, using the informal you (
du
) instead of the formal pronoun (
Sie
) with a police officer isn't illegal. But it's not something that a law-abiding German would ever do, so you shouldn't either.
Because it can be considered disrespectful, people who use '
du
' with the police can fall foul of German law (§185 StGB) which covers cases of 'insult'.
Insulting a police officer while they are performing their duty can be a punishable offence. Should the officer or their supervisor file a complaint against you for insult, the case could go to the courts where, depending on the circumstances, they may take it quite seriously.
Context does matter in these cases. Using the informal '
du
' with a police officer would only be seen as punishable in Germany if it was intended in a derogatory way, i.e. combined with other insults.
As a
report
by
T-Online
notes, both the police and the courts will generally recognise that non-native speakers may use '
du
' out of ignorance. If you're polite, and it's obvious you mean no disrespect, the police are likely to let it go or simply correct you.
But if you use "
du
" in a way that seems deliberately disrespectful, it could trigger a fine or complaint.
Now that you know the rule, you may as well save yourself any possible trouble and make a habit of addressing uniformed officers with only the formal '
Sie
'.
READ ALSO:
The extensive new powers to be given to Berlin police
According to legal advice website
anwalt.de
, fines of up to €600 have been enforced in the past against people who have used '
du
' with the police, and showing them the middle finger has been punished with fines of €4,000.
As an aside,
this list of insults
, and the penalties handed out by the courts, is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their German vocabulary in this area. According to the website, yelling "
Du Mädchen!
" (You girl!) at an officer has previously gotten someone a €200 fine, telling an officer "
Leck mich doch!
" (Lick me) was slapped with a €300 fine, and saying "
Am liebsten würde ich jetzt Arschloch zu Ihnen!
" (I would like to call you an asshole right now) was enough to land someone a €1,600 fine.
Advertisement
Addressing officers respectfully
In Germany, it's not usual to address a police officer by name, rank or title, but simply to address them as 'you' (
Sie
) as mentioned above.
If this feels awkward, you can also
Herr Polizei
or
Frau Polizei,
but bear in mind that native speakers would generally avoid this.
If you want to get an officer's attention, you can start with the phrase '
Entschuldigen Sie…
' (Excuse me…)
READ ALSO:
How Germany wants to boost rights of people with foreign backgrounds
Phrases for remaining silent
Everyone in Germany has the right to silence. You aren't legally required to answer police questions about an incident beyond providing them with your name, address and date of birth.
Legal advice generally maintains that you're more likely to incriminate yourself by speaking than by remaining silent - however much the police might try to convince you otherwise.
Reden ist Silber, schweigen ist Gold
(talking is silver, silence is golden)
,
as the German saying goes.
If you find yourself in a situation in which you'd rather remain silent, you can use the following phrases:
Ich möchte dazu nichts sagen.
I do not wish to say anything about that.
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Ich möchte erst mit einem Anwalt sprechen.
I would like to speak with a lawyer first.
Entschuldigen Sie, aber ich mache von meinem Aussageverweigerungsrecht Gebrauch.
Excuse me, but I wish to exercise my right to remain silent.
Note that if you haven't been detained (
vorläufig festgenommen
) or arrested (
festgenommen
), you also don't have to go with police officers somewhere, even if they ask.
For example, officers may ask you to come as a witness or for questioning, but you have the right to decline (politely).
If, however, the police state explicitly that you are being detained or arrested (
Sie sind festgenommen
or
Sie sind vorläufig festgenommen
), then you have no choice but to comply.
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If you're in doubt, you can ask the following question:
Muss ich mitkommen, oder ist das freiwillig?
Do I have to go with you, or is this voluntary?
READ ALSO:
'Gute Fahrt' - The essential vocab you need for driving in Germany
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What to know about talking to the police in Germany
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Because it can be considered disrespectful, people who use ' du ' with the police can fall foul of German law (§185 StGB) which covers cases of 'insult'. Insulting a police officer while they are performing their duty can be a punishable offence. Should the officer or their supervisor file a complaint against you for insult, the case could go to the courts where, depending on the circumstances, they may take it quite seriously. Context does matter in these cases. Using the informal ' du ' with a police officer would only be seen as punishable in Germany if it was intended in a derogatory way, i.e. combined with other insults. As a report by T-Online notes, both the police and the courts will generally recognise that non-native speakers may use ' du ' out of ignorance. If you're polite, and it's obvious you mean no disrespect, the police are likely to let it go or simply correct you. But if you use " du " in a way that seems deliberately disrespectful, it could trigger a fine or complaint. Now that you know the rule, you may as well save yourself any possible trouble and make a habit of addressing uniformed officers with only the formal ' Sie '. READ ALSO: The extensive new powers to be given to Berlin police According to legal advice website , fines of up to €600 have been enforced in the past against people who have used ' du ' with the police, and showing them the middle finger has been punished with fines of €4,000. As an aside, this list of insults , and the penalties handed out by the courts, is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their German vocabulary in this area. According to the website, yelling " Du Mädchen! " (You girl!) at an officer has previously gotten someone a €200 fine, telling an officer " Leck mich doch! " (Lick me) was slapped with a €300 fine, and saying " Am liebsten würde ich jetzt Arschloch zu Ihnen! 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Reden ist Silber, schweigen ist Gold (talking is silver, silence is golden) , as the German saying goes. If you find yourself in a situation in which you'd rather remain silent, you can use the following phrases: Ich möchte dazu nichts sagen. I do not wish to say anything about that. Advertisement Ich möchte erst mit einem Anwalt sprechen. I would like to speak with a lawyer first. Entschuldigen Sie, aber ich mache von meinem Aussageverweigerungsrecht Gebrauch. Excuse me, but I wish to exercise my right to remain silent. Note that if you haven't been detained ( vorläufig festgenommen ) or arrested ( festgenommen ), you also don't have to go with police officers somewhere, even if they ask. For example, officers may ask you to come as a witness or for questioning, but you have the right to decline (politely). If, however, the police state explicitly that you are being detained or arrested ( Sie sind festgenommen or Sie sind vorläufig festgenommen ), then you have no choice but to comply. Advertisement If you're in doubt, you can ask the following question: Muss ich mitkommen, oder ist das freiwillig? Do I have to go with you, or is this voluntary? READ ALSO: 'Gute Fahrt' - The essential vocab you need for driving in Germany
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