Police expand measures against youth crime in Vienna

Police expand measures against youth crime in Vienna

Minister Karner emphasized that the police would continue to act against crimes. Pürstl informed the public about the current figures and announced that the police would "consistently clean up". While particularly high growth in crimes were recorded by young people in summer, the numbers have now decreased again. "We had about 90 crimes from young people in June and July and have now returned to just under 60," said Pürstl.

code of security and measures

The decline in crimes seems to be directly related to the most recent police measures. The security forces continue to concentrate on hotspots, which include train stations and parks that were the aim of numerous violent escalations in the summer. These acts of violence were often ethnically motivated and sometimes even included the use of firearms. The police in Vienna strongly demanded the conflicts between different groups of young men, especially between Chechens and other ethnic groups.

In addition, a “modular system” was introduced that addresses the specific needs of the individual districts. Pürstl explains that between 70 and 80 civil servants are responsible for monitoring public space around the clock. Such structured measures have apparently contributed to dampening the increase in crime in Vienna as a whole.

In the period from January 1 to November 1, a decline of 2.5 percent of youth crime was documented compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, there was an increase in a total of ten percent of the crimes displayed, which corresponds to about 5,815 cases. This increase could be an indication of the ongoing challenges for the police, which is nevertheless optimistic about the future.

special missions and introductions

A significant insight into the police strategies provides the group founded in the spring to combat youth crime. Since its introduction on March 15, 6,604 ads have been filed, 1,698 of which were directed against young people. 793 people, including 87 minors, were also arrested. As part of these operations, the police also secured 107 weapons and 12.5 kilograms of drugs.

Minister Karner also emphasized the current weapon ban zone in Vienna favorites, which is intended to increase public security. At the same time, there are plans for a legal ban on wearing knives in public, which continues to be on the agenda after the last National Council elections. The Interior Minister is optimistic that the next government will also support this concern to ensure the security of citizens in Vienna.

Overall, this development shows that the police in Vienna continue to proactively against youth crime and relies on a combination of targeted missions and legal measures. The situation remains tense, but the police's first successes are already visible. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the coming months, but the presence of the police in crisis areas seems to be a decisive factor for security in the city.