Arresting suspects and interacting with doll Paula, the new responsibilities of the village police officer.
Sonja Vatheuer, a seasoned police officer with over three decades of experience, has taken on the role of the new Police District Officer (Bezirksbeamtin) in Obersprockhövel and Elfringhausen, Sprockhövel, Germany. She assumed her position on August 1, 2025, following the retirement of PHK Frank Dittmeyer [1][3][5].
Vatheuer's background encompasses extensive experience in traffic accident prevention and working as a traffic safety advisor. At 53 years old and holding the rank of Polizeihauptkommissarin (PHK), she has demonstrated a strong commitment to her new duties. She has already embarked on an intensive familiarization phase, reaching out to local institutions and stakeholders to strengthen community policing ties [1][2].
Her field of work has undergone significant changes in recent years, including enforcing arrest warrants, being part of special operations, or ensuring security at events. However, Vatheuer's focus remains on community engagement, traffic safety, and visibility in her area of responsibility [1].
Organizationally, while Vatheuer is officially responsible for Obersprockhövel and Elfringhausen, the local police work is collaborative. She and PHK Michael Gerlitz, who covers Niedersprockhövel, support and overlap in their districts practically [1].
Personally, Vatheuer's motivation is rooted partly in family tradition, as her father was in the criminal police (Kripo). She positions herself as a "friend and helper" to the community, focusing on approachable, service-oriented policing [2].
Vatheuer's responsibilities include district policing, with a strong emphasis on community engagement, traffic safety, and visibility. She has expressed her intention to divide her working hours, spending three-quarters of her time on the road in her area of responsibility [1].
Vatheuer's career has been marked by various roles. Between 1996 and 2001, she worked at the Schwelm/Ennepetal station. From 2001 to 2008, she was the first woman deployed at the Gevelsberg station. Before transferring to the district officer position, she was involved in traffic accident prevention and victim protection at the Ennepe-Ruhr district police headquarters [3].
In addition to her police duties, Vatheuer is a member of the city's youth welfare committee. Interestingly, she has a plush assistant named Paula who helps with traffic education and pedagogical puppet play [4]. Vatheuer sees herself as a village police officer who is close to the citizens [2].
In the area between Niedersprockhövel and Hattingen's hill country, Vatheuer works alongside Michael Gerlitz. Larger operations in Sprockhövel are worked on in collaboration with the responsible colleagues at Hattingen police station [2].
Projects such as school route inspections with preschool children and traffic education with kindergarten and primary school children are part of her duties. She is also involved in home environment consultation as part of burglary and fraud prevention [3].
There is a "Team 110" for Sprockhövel with three members, but no further details about this team are provided in the paragraph [3]. Vatheuer has worked in object protection and the Bochum hundred [3].
In summary, Sonja Vatheuer’s responsibilities focus on district policing with an emphasis on community engagement, traffic safety, and visibility in Obersprockhövel and Elfringhausen within Sprockhövel town.
Sonja Vatheuer, in her role as Police District Officer, continues to focus on traffic safety beyond her duties in community engagement and district policing.
Despite her extensive experience in various police roles, Sonja Vatheuer remains committed to her passion for traffic safety, which she has demonstrated throughout her career.
