Law enforcement in Austria

Law enforcement in Austria is the responsibility of the Directorate General for Public Security, a subdivision of the Federal Ministry of the Interior located at Herrengasse 7 in Vienna.

The restructuring of the Federal Police on July 1st 2005 represented the greatest modernization push in the history of Austrian law enforcement. The former law enforcement bodies, i.e., the public security constabulary, the criminal investigation service and the gendarmerie were consolidated and organized into nine federal provincial commands. Thus bureaucracy was drastically reduced, allowing policewomen and policemen to better serve the citizens and guests with assistance and support.

Over 20,000 police officers are on duty in the Federal Police at more than 1,000 police stations. On lakes and rivers the federal police has over 70 boats and other craft to act as the Water police.

The phone number 059133 connects you to the nearest police station anywhere in Austria. The emergency number is 133.

Agencies
Directorate General for Public Security
 * Criminal Intelligence Service (Bundeskriminalamt)
 * Polizei (Austria): The Federal police, exist in nearly every bigger village; subordinated to the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
 * Municipal Police Forces: they exist in 21 Austrian cities and have only administrative rights


 * Flugpolizei (Air police): 8 bases in Austria
 * Justizwache: responsible for prisons and prisoner transports
 * Justizwache Einsatz Gruppe (JEG): special force for prisons in case of emergency

Special Units:
 * EKO Cobra Special Unit – Austrian anti-terror forces
 * Wiener Einsatzgruppe Alarmabteilung (WEGA) – exists only in Vienna, comparable to the American S.W.A.T.-Special Units
 * Einsatzabteilung Kranich – Special Unit for the Vienna Airport