VISITS BY THE FEDERAL AGENCY 1 – FEDERAL POLICE AND CUSTOMS Superior authority Bad Bramstedt Federal Police Regional Office Berlin Federal Police Regional Office Hanover Federal Police Regional Office Koblenz Federal Police Regional Office Munich Federal Police Regional Office Sankt Augustin Federal Police Regional Office Stuttgart Federal Police Regional Office Berlin-Brandenburg Customs Investigation Office Stuttgart Customs Investigation Office Station/office visited Neubrandenburg Federal Police Station Angermünde Federal Police District Office Berlin-Tegel Airport Federal Police District Office Gartz an der Oder Federal Police Station Pasewalk Federal Police District Office Pomellen Federal Police Station Bremen Federal Police District Office Bremen Airport Federal Police Station Darmstadt Federal Police Station Frankfurt am Main Federal Police District Office Mühldorf an der Inn Federal Police Station Rosenheim Federal Police District Office Weilheim Federal Police Station Bielefeld Federal Police Station Bochum Federal Police Station Dortmund Federal Police District Office Duisburg Federal Police Station Stuttgart Airport Federal Police District Office Stuttgart Main Station Federal Police Station Ulm Federal Police Station Pomellen Office Stuttgart and Stuttgart GER Customs Investigation Offices themselves in some other way before using a peephole. Those taken into custody are to be informed that they will only be observed after prior warning has been given. In some police stations there were no peepholes in any of the doors. In others, the peepholes which have been fitted are not used. Officers reported that they did not feel the need to be able to monitor detainees whilst they are going to the toilet. Over and above the National Agency’s general standpoint as regards the use of peepholes, it should thus always be examined in each individual case whether it is necessary for toilet doors to have a peephole in the first place. The Federal Ministry of the Interior initially informed the National Agency that the peepholes in doors in Frankfurt am Main Federal Police District Office were only used in justified exceptional cases and only after prior warning being given. In addition, whenever a peephole is used this is documented in the custody record book. However, in a subsequent response following visits to Federal Police district offices in Stralsund, Pasewalk and Angermünde, the Ministry then informed the National Agency that officers In the period under review the Federal Agency visited 20 Federal Police stations and three offices of the Customs Service. It also monitored one person being brought in to Berlin-Tegel Airport prior to a forced return by air. 1.1 – FEDERAL POLICE STATIONS 1.1.1 – Recommendations of the Federal Agency and response Protecting privacy The Federal Agency continues to hold the view that particular importance should be attached to protecting the privacy of those who are taken into custody. In 2014 it again found that in the majority of the stations it visited the toilet doors in the custody suite had peepholes. The argument put forward by the Federal Ministry of the Interior in this regard is that peepholes are required in some individual cases in the Federal Police’s remit to protect those taken into custody and in the interests of staff safety. Against this backdrop, the National Agency decided that officers should knock on the door or draw attention to 20