Hamburg, May 20 – Patrol cars of the Hamburg police are now permanently equipped with a blue light, even when not on an emergency call. This new feature, known as the ‘Police Presence Light,’ was introduced on Tuesday. The light is uniformly illuminated, non-blinking, and operates at approximately 30 percent of the normal brightness, activating automatically when a patrol car begins to move.
Distinguishing from Emergency Lights
For those encountering it for the first time, there might be a moment of confusion: Is an emergency in progress? The answer is no. The actual emergency light remains bright and pulsating, accompanied by the siren, demanding immediate right-of-way. The new permanent blue light, however, does not require any action from other road users. Police Vice President Mirko Streiber clarified that the presence light is “a pure additional illumination – not associated with rights for the police and not with duties for road users.”
The light can also be manually switched off in situations where the police need to remain undetected, such as during a nighttime burglary. Hamburg is the first police force in Germany to implement such a system.
Police Unions Welcome the Initiative
Both police unions support the introduction, albeit with differing emphases. The German Police Union (DPolG) Hamburg unreservedly welcomes the presence light, stating that increased visible police presence strengthens the sense of security among Hamburg residents and acts as a preventive measure against crimes in public spaces.
The Police Union (GdP) is generally open to the idea but attaches a condition. GdP State Chairman Lars Osburg emphasized, “Our colleagues must be able to decide at any time whether visibility or inconspicuousness is required.” Therefore, the manual deactivation feature is non-negotiable. Furthermore, the GdP demands that the introduction be evaluated through a scientifically monitored pilot project.
No Evaluation Planned by Hamburg Police
However, the Hamburg police do not plan such an evaluation. Police Vice President Streiber stated that the concept has proven effective in other European countries, which is sufficient as a basis. André Martens, Deputy Head of the Protection Police, admitted that it might take some time for all road users to recognize the difference at first glance, especially in the dark.
The idea for the presence light, according to Martens, originated from young police officers on duty. The implementation proceeded quickly. The retrofitting process will begin with the state reserve in Alsterdorf and will then rapidly extend throughout the entire city, from the city center to Harburg and Bergedorf.
This initiative follows previous discussions and concerns raised by police unions regarding funding and staffing. The GdP, for instance, has distanced itself from the DPolG on the issue of the Olympia referendum. Additionally, both unions have previously highlighted underfunding issues, with promotions being canceled and positions remaining unfilled despite record budgets. The CDU has also criticized the staffing shortages within the Hamburg police force, noting that nearly 500 positions currently lack personnel.
This topic was also covered in the NDR 90,3 | NDR 90,3 Aktuell | 19.05.2026 | 13:00 Uhr broadcast.
Other recent news from Hamburg includes an increase in right-wing extremists, with 450 reported by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, a rise of 50 from the previous year. Cocaine seizures in Hamburg Port have significantly decreased, though customs officials caution against complacency. In sports, Daniel Altmaier sensationally defeated Shelton at the ATP tournament in Hamburg, advancing to the quarterfinals. Parking fees in downtown Hamburg are also set to increase, with hourly rates rising from 3.50 to 4 euros and day tickets becoming two euros more expensive. Furthermore, a verdict is expected next week in the murder of a transgender person over 40 years ago, and an exhibition titled “Forbidden Books” is on display at the Millerntorwache.
Source: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/streifenwagen-der-hamburger-polizei-bekommen-dauerhaftes-blaulicht,polizei-1268.html
