“Notruf Hafenkante” is a German television series based on a police precinct and local hospital in Hamburg, Germany. The English translation is Hamburg Dockland (not very interesting, but Hamburg Port Emergency–my translation–sounds more interesting). The best way to describe this series would be something similar to that of the NBC series “Third Watch” only with without the fire department.

Over the next week weeks, I’ll get character bios up (from the ZDF website) translated into English. I wouldn’t make you strain with some Internet translator that simply tries to translate everything and doesn’t put the text into coherent sentences. (Note: My German, while good, is not great. If you’re going to contact me, please do so in English. It’ll save me the trouble of whipping out my Berlitz book.)

From the ZDF website:

Nils Meermann is the pragmatic, hands-on chief inspector of Precinct 21, Hamburg’s harbor district. He and his girlfriend, emergency physician Dr. Anna Jacobi, are often involved in the same cases, but from different sides: while Nils and his colleagues pursue the perps, Anna provides medical help, no matter whether it’s a victim or a criminal who’s been injured. Conflicts are inevitable in this innovative mix of police procedural and doctor drama from Hamburg’s dynamic ‘Dockland’!

The main characters are:
Polizeihauptkommisar (Captain) Nils Meermann played by Thomas Scharff
Polizeioberkommisarin (First Lieutenant) Melanie Hansen played by Sanna Englund
Polizeioberkommisar (First Lieutenant) Bernd “Bojie” Thomforde played by Frank Vockroth
Polizeimeisterin (Sergeant) Fanziska “Franzi” Jung played by Rhea Harder

Other police officers include:
Polizeioberrat (Lieutenant Colonel) Martin Berger played by Peer Jäger
Polizeioberkommissar (First Lieutenant) Jörn ‘Wolle’ Wollenberger played by Harald Maack