Swiss police

The police in Switzerland are there to maintain public order, investigate crimes, and provide assistance in emergencies. In Switzerland, the police are divided into multiple forces: a federal police force that operates at a national level, and cantonal and municipal police forces that operate at a local level. 

Contacting the police in Switzerland

If you were the victim of a crime and would like to report it, you can get in touch the police in the following ways:

Call the police on 117 (emergency number)

117 is the emergency number for the police in Switzerland. It should be used for emergencies only. 

You can also reach the police by calling 112. Internationally recognised police numbers such as 911 and 999 will also put you through to emergency call centres when you are in Switzerland.

Contact the Swiss police online

For many common complaints like thefts, property damage, lost licence plates, or cybercrime, you can file an online report with the Swiss police’s digital portal, Suisse ePolice.

You can contact your local police office directly to file an online report; a complete list of every agency can be found on the Swiss police website. 

At your local police station

You can also contact your local police station. If possible, you should call ahead to book an appointment. It’s possible to book an appointment online on Suisse ePolice in the cantons of Bern, Freiburg and Zurich. Otherwise, you can find the contact details for your local police station on the Swiss police website.

The role of the Swiss police

The Swiss police are there to help the community, fight crime, and help out in emergencies. This includes things like: 

• Patrolling the streets, preventing offences and crimes.
• Doing detective work, investigating both petty thefts and more serious crimes.
• Giving advice to the public on how to prevent crime. 
• Dealing with traffic issues such as speed limit offences or car accidents
• Maintaining laws and regulations

Organisation of the police in Switzerland

The Swiss police are the responsibility of the 26 cantons, each of which maintains its own cantonal police force. There are also municipal police forces, a federal law enforcement agency, and the railway police. 

Cantonal police agencies

Each of the 26 Swiss cantons has its own police force - sometimes supplemented by one or more municipal police forces (see below). The cantonal police force is responsible for the majority of day-to-day policing in each canton, everything from criminal activity and security to traffic controls. 

Each cantonal police force is headed by a police minister or police director, who is typically a member of the executive branch of each cantonal government.

Cantonal police forces are autonomous in their day-to-day operations and therefore there are big regional variations in things like their structure and duties, and even their uniforms and the equipment they use. However, they do cooperate with each other when required.

Municipal police forces

Some cantons also have regional, city or municipal police forces that take care of some tasks in certain areas. 

For instance, Zurich, Lausanne and Winterthur all have their own city police forces that provide a full policing service, while in smaller cities like Lugano and Bellinzona, smaller municipal police forces operate on a smaller scale, primarily in traffic control.

The general trend is currently towards absorbing these municipal police forces into cantonal police forces. However, hundreds of municipal police forces continue to exist. At least 100 of them are members of the Swiss Association of Municipal Police Chiefs (SVSP).

Federal Office of Police (fedpol)

The Federal Office of Police (fedpol) is responsible for coordinating between cantonal police forces, protecting government institutions, and handling requests from police authorities abroad. It also conducts its own investigations in areas like organised crime, money laundering and corruption. 

On top of that, fedpol is also responsible for managing identity documents, including Swiss passports and identity cards. 

SBB transport police

Switzerland also has its own transport police force that operates as a specialised police for public transport. SBB transport police officers work to keep public transport secure and orderly - both at train stations and on board trains. 

If you’re in an emergency situation on any part of the Swiss public transport network, you can contact the SBB transport police on 0800 117 117. 

Use of force by police in Switzerland

Police in Switzerland are authorised to use firearms to arrest or prevent the escape of someone who has (or is suspected to have) committed a serious offence. Police officers are only permitted to use a weapon as a last resort. They are also authorised to use tasers and pepper spray when appropriate.