Stephan Zenker named Mönchengladbach's new police president after competitive selection

A veteran of North Rhine-Westphalia's police, Zenker steps into a pivotal role. His decades of leadership promise stability for the 840-strong force.

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2026 March 14 . 3:04 PM

1 min read

The image shows a police officer standing in the middle of a street in Berlin, Germany. He is... — The image shows a police officer standing in the middle of a street in Berlin, Germany. He is wearing a black uniform and a cap, and is surrounded by traffic cones, bicycles, light poles, trees, and buildings. In the background, there is a clock tower and a clear blue sky.

Stephan Zenker named Mönchengladbach's new police president after competitive selection

Stephan Zenker has been appointed as the new police president of Mönchengladbach. The experienced officer will take up his role at the end of March, replacing Mathis Wiesselmann, who retired in December 2023. Interior Minister Herbert Reul described Zenker as a proven expert within the North Rhine-Westphalia Police.

Zenker joined the North Rhine-Westphalia Police in 1990 and has since held multiple leadership positions. He previously led the State Criminal Police Office (Landeskriminalamt) and the State Security Department of Police Aachen. His career spans local stations, operational threat response, and training divisions.

Currently, he heads the Ministry's Police Training and Continuing Education Division. He also played a key role in shaping the force's new leadership strategy. His appointment followed a competitive selection process. The Mönchengladbach Police Headquarters, which Zenker will now lead, employs around 840 officers and staff.

As a Senior Police Director, Zenker brings decades of experience to the role. He will oversee one of the region's largest police forces when he officially begins at the end of March. His leadership will follow a structured transition after his predecessor's retirement.