New Federal Police Act: body cams in service vehicles and dashcams now expressly permitted
Germany’s new Federal Police Act took effect on October 28, 2026. The body cam rule formerly in Section 27a now sits in Section 32 and expressly allows recording inside Federal Police service vehicles. Subsection 5 is new: devices that record the driver’s view from inside a vehicle, in other words dashcams, count as body cams under the law.
What changes in the Federal Police Act
The Act to Modernize the Federal Police Act of October 22, 2026 was published in the Federal Law Gazette on October 27 (BGBl. 2026 I No. 318) and took effect on October 28. The body cam rule, previously Section 27a, now sits in Section 32. According to the DPolG federal police union, the conditions are unchanged: the Federal Police may record openly in publicly accessible places when there are concrete indications that this is necessary to protect officers or third parties, or to prosecute criminal offenses and serious administrative offenses (Section 32(1), first sentence).
What’s new is where recording is allowed. Under the same conditions, it is now also permitted:
- in non-public places where the Federal Police carries out refusals of entry, removals, deportations and returns, though not inside private homes,
- inside Federal Police service vehicles,
- in non-public areas of police stations where searches, fingerprinting and similar measures take place (Section 32(1), second sentence).
The dashcam in subsection 5
At the suggestion of the Bundestag’s Committee on Internal Affairs, the dashcam was added as a new subsection 5 (DPolG federal police union, October 27, 2026). It makes clear that devices recording the driver’s view in Federal Police vehicles also count as body-worn recording devices. Dashcams are therefore subject to the same conditions and retention rules as body cams.
Every recording must be disclosed in a suitable way; in urgent situations the notice may be omitted (Section 32(2)).
Retention rules stay strict
In standby mode, the devices may buffer data briefly. That data is deleted without a trace after no more than 30 seconds unless a recording starts. In that case, up to 30 seconds before the start may be kept (Section 32(3)).
Recordings must be kept for 30 days and then destroyed without delay. They may be kept longer only if they’re needed to prosecute criminal offenses or serious administrative offenses, to prevent a specific danger, or to review whether a police measure was lawful, for example at the request of the person recorded (Section 32(4)).
For in-vehicle video, that means pre-event buffering, fixed deletion periods and a traceable audit log aren’t extras. They’re a precondition for lawful use.
Why this matters for officer safety
The DPolG federal police union expressly welcomes the change. In its view, the recordings also protect the officers on duty, especially when evidence has to stand up in court, and with attacks on officers on the rise, the dashcam is a clear gain in safety (October 27, 2026).
The vehicle is a special place. Traffic stops, arrests and transports often happen inside it or right next to it. A camera permanently installed there captures situations a body cam alone can’t always cover.
What state police forces can take from it
Section 32 applies only to the Federal Police. State police forces operate under their own state police laws. Still, a clear federal rule on recording in service vehicles and on dashcams can serve as a reference when the states revise their own rules. Agencies should settle specific legal questions with their data protection officers and legal departments.
In-vehicle video evidence from Travido
Travido develops and builds in-vehicle video evidence systems for emergency vehicles in Braunschweig, Germany. The Travido 625 records on events, using a ring buffer instead of continuous surveillance, signs every recording automatically following the recommendations of Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI TR-02102-1), and is designed for concealed installation. With the traVES evidence software, review stays entirely inside the station, with no internet connection, and every export is logged.
See the Travido 625 platform →
traVES: evidence review without the internet →
What dashcams do police use? →
Violence against first responders: background →
Frequently asked questions
May the Federal Police use dashcams?
Yes. Since October 28, 2026, Section 32(5) of the Federal Police Act treats devices that record the driver’s view in Federal Police vehicles as body cams. The same conditions apply as for body cams.
May body cams record inside Federal Police vehicles?
Yes. Section 32(1), second sentence, no. 2 expressly allows recording inside Federal Police service vehicles under the same conditions that apply in publicly accessible places.
How long are recordings kept?
30 days. After that they must be destroyed without delay unless they’re needed for prosecution, to prevent a danger, or to review whether a police measure was lawful (Section 32(4)).
What applies in standby mode?
The devices may buffer data briefly. Without a recording, that data is deleted after no more than 30 seconds; when a recording starts, up to 30 seconds before it may be kept (Section 32(3)).
Does this also apply to state police forces?
No. Section 32 applies to the Federal Police. State police forces are governed by their own state police laws.
Sources
Section 32 BPolG, mobile video and audio recording devices, gesetze-im-internet.de (German)
This article summarizes the legal situation in general terms and is not legal advice for any specific case.
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