Police Education in Road Traffic Law: Saxony, Germany
| Published date | 01 January 1999 |
| Date | 01 January 1999 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X9907200107 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
DIETER MULLER
Lecturer, Advanced College of Police Saxony/Germany
POLICE EDUCATION IN ROAD
TRAFFIC LAW: SAXONY,
GERMANY
Introduction
The education of police officers in the field of road traffic law is highly
valued, and road traffic police, as allother sections of the service, need
competent leaders. In particular, future police inspectors need accurate
knowledge in theoretical road traffic law and also the implementation of
this law in practical work at local constabulary level. For this reason, the
police in Saxony decided to create a separate field of "Road Traffic
Science" in the education of police inspectors who had a specialization
in road traffic law. This is a model unique to Germany.
The Advanced College of Police Saxony/Germany
in Rothenburg/Saxony
On October 1, 1994, the Advanced College of Police in Saxony was
founded by the Minister of the Interior of Saxony, Heinz Eggert, in
Rothenburg. Prior to this, the police of Saxony realized that it would be
necessary for competent leadership in the police to build up not only a
police division at a general college of public administration, but rather
an independent Advanced College of Police Saxony/Germany. This
college has its own lecturers, professors and highly educated police
officers. The study subjects are divided into seven groups which are in
liaison with seven departments of the college:
Command and Operation
Forensic Science and Criminology
Road Traffic Sciences
Jurisprudence
Social Sciences
Information, Technology and Economics
Languages
The students comprise 60% police officers from operational divisions
and detective branches with several years of professional experience,
and 40% students with university entrance qualification. This enables
the four study groups of each academic year to learn from each other.
Early assessments reveal a successful integration of professional,
inexperienced students with other students who already have
experience; this is very promising for the future.
There is only one progressive model in Germany, practised in
Baden-Wurttemberg, where potential leaders are largely independently
56 The Police Journal January 1999
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