Police personnel shortage: record number of resignations in Tyrol!

Police personnel shortage: record number of resignations in Tyrol!

The discussion about police personnel policy in Austria is reaching a new high point. Hannes Amesbauer, security spokesman for the FPÖ, expressed sharp criticism of the measures taken by ÖVP Interior Minister Karner. Despite an increase in new applications in the last two years, alarming attrition rates are causing concern. According to reports, 31 police officers in Tyrol had resigned by the beginning of December, not including retirements or suspensions. This phenomenon is particularly striking since only eight officers left the police force in 2018. Amesbauer emphasizes that inadequate working conditions are a main reason for these departures, which dramatically worsens the entire situation.

Fighting crime under pressure

Amesbauer describes the current personnel policy as “hole open, hole closed” and criticizes the contradiction between the increase in training and the departure of police officers. "There is great dissatisfaction among civil servants. Many feel abandoned by the political leadership," said the FPÖ spokesman. Police officers repeatedly report to him that they question the meaningfulness of their work in the face of false political orders, particularly in connection with illegal mass immigration. This shows that there is a lack of a motivating spirit of optimism, which makes reform necessary to make the police service attractive again.

The challenges posed by these issues are significant. While the police have to master complex tasks such as maintaining law and order, preventing crime and direct communication with the population, aspiring police officers struggle against high demands. The training itself is considered demanding, consisting of several internships and tests that test physical and character suitability. The salary starts off attractive, especially at the Federal Police, which is currently looking for new employees. According to the Career Page Career Bible Applicants benefit from high remuneration in the first years of training, which could further promote recruitment. Nevertheless, the pressing questions surrounding the conditions in the service remain unresolved, and the current dissatisfaction could endanger police work in the long term.