Federal Police
Bundespolizei
(({logocaption))}
Agency overview
Formed1 July 2005
Employees30,900
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionAustria
Governing bodyDirectorate General for Public Security
General nature
Facilities
Stations1000+
Website
bmi.gv.at

The Federal Police (Austrian German: Bundespolizei) is the national and principal law enforcement agency of Austria. The Federal Police was formed in July 2005 as one formal unit of police. In 2005, the Federal Police replaced the Austrian Federal Gendarmerie, which policed most of the country, and the Polizei which policed Austria’s major urban centres such as Vienna, Salzburg and Graz.[1] The Federal Police also serves as Austria’s border control agency.[2] The Federal Police works in partnership with the 19 municipal police agencies and other law enforcement agencies in Austria.

Command structure

The Federal Police is commanded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior. The Federal Minister of the Interior is the highest law enforcement authority. The Provincial Police Directorates - established as federal authorities in the provinces - are subordinate to the Federal Minister. District administrative authorities (i.e. authorities established in the provinces for indirect federal administration) are subordinate to the Provincial Police Directorates. There are nine separate provincial police directorates which correspond to the nine provinces of Austria. They are as follows:

Dependent on the division, the districts and cities are controlled by either a District Police Command or a City Police Command. These commands then operate through several police stations throughout the state.

Equipment

The standard issue sidearm of the Austrian Federal Police officers is the Glock pistol in 9mm Parabellum. The most common model used are Glock 17 and Glock 19 both being the Gen 3 models while EKO Cobra also gain the Glock 18 with full-auto capability for more firepower. Officers are also equipped with batons and pepper spray for use as a less lethal option.[3] Officers may also use Steyr AUG assault rifle, the Heckler & Koch MP5 and other similar heavy duty weapons required for specialist operations.

Vehicles

Armoured vehicle 'Sonderwagen 4
Federal Police Volkswagen Touareg
Four Federal Police Volkswagen Transporters
Federal Police Volkswagen Touran
Federal Police Volkswagen Passat

Ground vehicles

The ground vehicles currently used by the Federal Police include:

The Federal Police experimented with a Porsche 911 in order to crack down on motorway speeding. After a six-month test phase, the Federal Police decided not to order more 911s due to fact that there was not sufficient storage space for their equipment and the high-cost of the vehicles.[4]

Aircraft[5]

Aircraft currently used by the Federal Police include:

Ranks and rank insignia

Commissioners
 
Austria Austrian Federal Police[6]
Generaldirektor für die öffentliche Sicherheit Landespolizei-
Direktor 		Landespolizei-
Direktor-Stellvertreter 		Abteilungsleiter Landespolizei-
direktion 		Stadthauptmann
Commissioner general of public security State commissioner Deputy state commissioner Assistant state commissioner City police commissioner
Leading officers
 
General officers Senior officers Junior officers
Austria Austrian Federal Police[7]
General
Inspector general 		Generalmajor
Deputy inspector general 		Brigadier
Assistant inspector general 		Oberst
Chief superintendent 		Oberstleutnant
Superintendent 		Major
Deputy superintendent 		Hauptmann
Assistant superintendent 		Oberleutnant
Divisional superintendent 		Leutnant
Divisional assistant superintendent
Supervising officers and police officers
 
Supervising officers Police officers
Austria Austrian Federal Police[7]
Chefinspektor
(Fgrp 7)
Senior chief inspector 		Chefinspektor
(Fgrp 6)
Chief inspector 		Kontrollinspektor
Divisional inspector 		Abteilungs-
inspektor
Sub-divisional inspector 		Bezirksinspektor'
Station sergeant 		Gruppeninspektor (E2a)
Sergeant 		Gruppeninspektor
Sergeant
Not in line of promotion 		Revierinspektor
Senior constable 		Inspektor
Constable 		Inspektor GFP
Border guard constable 		Aspirant
Probationary constable

Historical ranks

See also

References

  1. ^ "OSCE Policing Profile for the Austrian BundesPolizei". OSCE POLIS. Archived from the original on 2014-03-13. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
  2. ^ "List of national services responsible for border control" (PDF).
  3. ^ Magazin Öffentliche Sicherheit, Ausgabe 1/2 2009: „Verhältnismäßiges Einschreiten“ (Ministry of Interior) (german)
  4. ^ "Polizei-Porsche kommt ins Museum - oesterreich.ORF.at". wiev1.orf.at.
  5. ^ "Austrian Flugpolizei". Bundespolizei. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Uniform - Unterscheidungszeichen: Organe Des Öffentlichen Sicherheitsdienstes (Gem. § 5 Abs. 2 Zif. 3 UND 4 Spg) - Amtsärztlicher Dienst - Seelsorgedienst" [Uniform - distinguishing signs: Organs of the public security service (according to § 5 paragraph 2 number 3 AND 4 Spg) - official medical service - pastoral service] (PDF) (in German). Bundesministerium für Inneres. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d "Uniform-Unterscheidungszeichen (für Organe des öffentlichen Sicherheitsdienstes nach § 5 Abs. 1 Z 1 SPG ab 2015)" [Uniform distinctive signs (for bodies of the public security service according to § 5 Abs. 1 Z 1 SPG from 2015)] (PDF) (in German). Bundesministerium für Inneres. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Uniform - Unterscheidungszeichen Laut Aktueller PUV" [Uniform - Distinguishing Ranks According to Current PUV] (in German). 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2023.

External links

Law enforcement in Austria
Police forces by country
Border protection agencies (list)
Authority control databases: National
Category