Village police officers return to some municipalities

‘Mediate rather than investigate’ is the credo of the new police service. Local police officers will make a conscious effort to maintain a visible presence in their communities. This is intended to increase the population's sense of security.
 

Stories about former village police officers are often told. People at many regulars' tables reminisce about their experiences with the police officers who were well known to everyone at the time. And village police officers (Dorfpolizisten) are now back in the canton of Zug.

From 1st October 2025 and 1st January 2026, respectively, five ‘local police officers’ (Ortspolizisten), as they are now called, have been on duty: Patric Stalder in Risch/Rotkreuz, Thomas Wenzin in Hünenberg, Mirco Pfister in Steinhausen, Stefan Odermatt in the Zug, Oberwil and Walchwil area, and Samuel Sommer in the Menzingen, Neuheim and Allenwinden area. And Petra Weber and Samuel Lozano will join them from 1st April, in the City of Zug and Cham, respectively.

The police officers will be out and about in the communities, building personal networks and acting as direct points of contact for the population, politicians and authorities. They are at the heart of the ‘community policing’ service (Bürgernahe Polizei) that was created at the beginning of the year. ‘The village policeman is an old concept, but we are implementing it with a modern approach,’ said Michael Metzger, head of the regional police, at the press conference on the subject last Friday morning. The local police officers are all based within his area.

The new strategic direction of the ‘community policing’ initiative has its origins in the cantonal legislative goals (Legislaturzielen) for 2023 to 2026. These stipulate that the presence and visibility of the police should be increased, and that more should be invested in prevention. The 2025 budget initially allocated three full-time positions, with another two and a half to be added a year later.

The Zug police are bringing back local police officers
(from left): Thomas Wenzin (Hünenberg), Mirco Pfister (Steinhausen), Samuel Sommer (Menzingen, Neuheim & Allenwinden), Stefan Odermatt (City of Zug & Walchwil) and Patric Stalder (Risch/Rotkreuz).
Patric Stalder (left), head of the local police, and Michael Metzger, head of the regional police.         Photos: Matthias Jurt
 

Patric Stalder, the head of the new department, expects there to be one village police officer per 15,000 to 20,000 inhabitants. The Ägerital and Baar posts are currently still vacant, but the aim is to have a total of nine local police officers in all cantonal areas by the end of 2027.

Specialists instead of generalists
Patric Stalder was already heavily involved in the development and establishment of the service. ‘We need specialists, not generalists,’ he says with conviction, explaining that police officers should be able to concentrate on their tasks in the communities and villages. Building trust, getting to know the local conditions. They are out and about in the neighbourhoods – ideally on foot or by e-bike – and show their presence. ‘They don't conduct investigations, they don't have an on-call duty. They mediate rather than investigate,’ he adds.

The local police officers can also be reached by telephone and e-mail. It is hoped that this low-threshold access will encourage a lively interaction with the population. One focus is on older residents – a vulnerable section of the population. ‘Many people have serious concerns about cyber security or grandparent scams,’ says Patric Stalder. This is where police officers can step in directly and help before anything happens.

They can also take on smaller, but time-consuming tasks, such as delivering and transporting official documents, reporting incidents that do not require investigation, or covering the counter opening hours at the respective police stations. ‘Local police officers will also do valuable work in dealing with individuals who repeatedly come to the attention of the police,’ says Michael Metzger. The village police officers will have regular working hours, but no fixed working times. They are free to organise their hours as they see fit.

The police stations remain in place
Those responsible emphasise that the new service is not in competition with existing positions. The eight police stations currently in the canton will also remain unchanged. Jobs and counter opening hours will remain the same, adds Michael Metzger.

Initial experience shows that local police officers are being noticed, as confirmed by Thomas Wenzin, who has been on duty in Hünenberg since October. Depending on the season, burglaries and protection against them are also key issues. ‘I have the opportunity to visit a house or neighbourhood and give advice directly on site,’ he explains.

Stefan Odermatt has already attracted attention. He regularly travels between the city of Zug and Walchwil, his area of operation, on an e-bike. This has led to calls and enquiries to the central police station asking whether he is a ‘fake police officer’.

‘We were able to give the all-clear and explain that Stefan Odermatt is indeed a real police officer,’ says Patric Stalder. A police officer who is present – just like in the old days.