Police profession is booming: record number of applications and new incentives!

Police profession is booming: record number of applications and new incentives!

Laimgrubengasse 10, 1060 Wien, Österreich - The numbers speak a clear language: the police service is becoming increasingly attractive for young people. In 2024, over 12,000 people submitted an application for the police profession - a record that underlines how successful the initiatives of Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) are. No fewer than 2,600 applicants were able to enter the police school, which also represents a historic high. One reason for this increase is the attractive incentives that were introduced as part of a comprehensive attractory package. These include free driver's license programs and the offer of a free climatic mato for police students, such as ots.at reported.

revolutionary changes in the admission procedure

The first half of 2025 already shows remarkable results with over 6,200 new applications since the beginning of the year - more than a triple increase compared to the previous year. These new records are due to loosened recording criteria and a new selection process. Now people with visible tattoos and without a driver's license can also get a place in police training, provided the tattoos do not represent radical or discriminatory symbolism. Interior Minister Karner emphasizes that these adaptations of the professional field of police be made more accessible to very different people. Puls24 Incentives such as salary increases during the training, which also contribute to recruitment.

In Vienna, 118 new civil servants are planned by the end of the year, while around 1,000 new police officers are to be trained across Austria. Despite these increases, however, it is emphasized that this is not enough to ensure the staff from the upcoming retirement. Union votes warn of an impending bottleneck and require additional measures to strengthen the police service.