Primary jurisdiction of the agency includes coordinating cooperation between the federation and state police forces; investigating cases of international organized crime, terrorism and other cases related to national security; counterterrorism; the protection of members of the constitutional institutions, and of federal witnesses.

When requested by the respective state authorities or the federal minister of the interior, it also assumes responsibility for investigations in certain large-scale cases.

This is because after World War II, it was decided that there should not be another all-powerful police force like the Reich Security Main Office (consisting of the Gestapo, Sicherheitsdienst, the Reichskriminalpolizeiamt).

The formation of the BKA is based on several articles of the German constitution, which give the federal government the exclusive ability to pass laws on the coordination of criminal policing in Germany.

[7] The division's main tasks lie in investigations in the fields of cybercrime and computer-oriented crime The BKA is part of several joint centers and platforms for combatting crime: For special cases the BKA creates task forces, which are called "Besondere Aufbauorganisation" (abbreviated: BAO).

Another 2200 employees work for the BKA as scientists (forensic and natural sciences) and academics (criminology and law enforcement research).

In the case of law enforcement officers, the BKA has employees in two career tracks of the German civil service.

Law enforcement personnel in the career path of the higher service generally need to have passed a master's degree or a second state examination for direct recruitment.

While studying (law, criminal proceedings, constitutional law, criminology, police tactics, ethics) they also receive traditional police training like martial arts (Krav Maga, Jiu Jiutsu, Judo), shooting, basic driving and crime scene investigation.

After passing the test and acception for the higher service, these recruits have to study an additional two years at police university in Münster.

The chief of the BKA is a political civil servant, who is appointed by the President of Germany upon recommendation from the Minister of the Interior and the cabinet.

[17] The post is graded as B9 in the payscale for federal civil servants (which is the same as a lieutenant general or a vice admiral in the armed forces).

His or her vice-chiefs, who to this day have mostly been career officials from the ranks, are in the B6 paygrade.Anlage I BBesG - EinzelnormBKA police officers are equipped with the SIG Sauer P229 as a duty firearm.