Federal Police (Austria)


The Federal Police is the national and principal law enforcement agency of Austria. The Federal Police also serves as Austria’s border control agency.

History

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.
In October 2021, the FP unveiled the Schnelle Interventionsgruppe or the Rapid Intervention Group as a response to concerns that police response to serious incidents cannot be mobilized on time. The SIG is deployed in various cities in Austria. The SIG is under the Schnellen Reaktionskräfte or Rapid Reaction Force with the Bereitschaftseinheit or the Standby Unit.

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 Federal Police works in partnership with the 19 municipal police agencies and other law enforcement agencies in Austria.
The Provincial Police Directorates - established as federal authorities in the provinces - are subordinate to the Federal Minister. District administrative authorities are subordinate to the Provincial Police Directorates.
There are nine separate provincial police directorates which correspond to the nine provinces of Austria:
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

Officers are also equipped with batons and pepper spray for use as a less lethal option.

Ranks and rank insignia

;Commissioners
;Leading officers
;Supervising officers and police officers

Historical ranks