Hesse's Voluntary Police Service: A Quarter-Century of Community Safety and Presence

Hesse's Voluntary Police Service operates with approximately 275 active assistants deployed across 97 municipalities, serving as a civilian bridge between residents and law enforcement rather than as a substitute for professional officers, according to the state's Ministry of the Interior. The program, which began 26 years ago with a pilot project of 90 volunteers, has grown into a quiet but consistent presence in public spaces across the German federal state of Hesse. Volunteers like Angela Koller and Tim Hepe patrol on foot through neighborhoods, parks, and dog meadows, armed not with authority to issue fines or make arrests, but with time, attention, and a willingness to listen. Their uniform signals availability rather than enforcement, and officials say that distinction is fundamental to the program's purpose.

Seven euros an hour, no parking tickets, no raised fingers The volunteers receive an allowance of seven euros per hour for a maximum of 20 to 25 hours per month, a modest compensation that underscores the program's civic rather than professional character. Koller, 59, has served for nearly 20 years after responding to a newspaper advertisement, and describes the role as one built on conversation and visibility. „I see us as a link between the citizen and the police. We don't walk around with a raised finger, and we are also not there to punish anyone or hand out tickets.” — Angela Koller via Die Welt Hepe, 47, who joined four years ago, echoes that framing and notes that reactions from the public are almost entirely positive, though occasional hostility does surface. He recalled someone once shouting at him to "find a real job," a remark he dismissed without taking personally, noting that the position is explicitly voluntary. The two always patrol in pairs, a requirement that reflects both safety policy and the conversational nature of their work. 7 (euros per hour) — allowance paid to voluntary police assistants in Hesse

Foot patrols catch what patrol cars routinely miss Walter Füssel, the department head responsible for the service at the Southeast Hesse Police Headquarters, stresses that the voluntary assistants are not intended to perform police duties and that public debate sometimes conflates the two roles. He noted that demands for the state to "hire real police officers instead of deputy sheriffs" misrepresent what the program actually does. Because the volunteers move on foot and are not dispatched to emergency calls, they observe details that motorized police or public order office patrols frequently overlook. Hepe cited examples such as a bicycle illegally dumped in a local waterway or a corroded streetlamp on the verge of toppling in an industrial area. The service is also deployed at so-called "fear locations" — places where residents feel discomfort or insecurity regardless of whether objective crime rates are elevated there. Füssel emphasized that deployment decisions require cooperation between the police and the relevant municipality, giving both parties a say in where volunteers are sent.

Pepper spray carried, never used — safety comes first Voluntary police services exist in several German federal states under different names — in Bavaria and Saxony the equivalent program is called the Sicherheitswacht. These programs draw on a broader tradition in many countries of deploying trained civilian volunteers as a form of auxiliary or reserve support for regular police forces. Hesse's program launched its pilot phase with 90 volunteers before being formally established as a statewide service. Dangerous situations are rare, Koller reported, saying that in nearly two decades of service she has never faced a truly precarious encounter. All voluntary police assistants are permitted to carry pepper spray for self-defense and emergency assistance, but Koller said she has never used hers. The protocol in any escalating situation is unambiguous: the first step is to call the professional police, who are trained to handle confrontation. Füssel confirmed that the service is only deployed in locations deemed safe for the volunteers, and that the program's boundaries are deliberately narrow. The emphasis on presence over power is also a recruitment filter — officials and serving assistants alike say that anyone motivated by a desire to "play sheriff" is considered unsuitable for the role. What the program seeks instead is a willingness to communicate and a genuine interest in contributing to public life.

Pilot project (launch): 90, Active assistants (end of 2025): 275