Police Face Further Cuts
The impact of the tight federal budget on the police in Austria continues to be a topic of discussion. In addition to already ordered cuts in overtime, there are apparently also cuts in the climate ticket introduced in 2023 for police students and the recruitment bonuses also introduced at that time. This is at least according to a meeting protocol from the State Police Directorate of Styria, which is available to the APA.
Police could lose climate ticket and recruitment bonuses
According to this, the climate ticket "will no longer be paid from June 2026," as stated in the official document signed by one of the two deputy state police directors on March 17. More than a year and a half ago, the Ministry of the Interior introduced a free climate ticket for police students nationwide as part of the police personnel campaign.
The recruitment bonus "will be eliminated," as explained in the document. This has been available since 2023 for police officers who successfully recruit students. The reduction in "additional services" amounts to a 20 percent decrease in Styria. Construction measures "are currently on hold." The Graz bicycle police will also patrol in the summer of 2025 with only about half as many officers.
Ministry denies cuts to climate ticket
The State Police Directorate of Styria referred the APA to the Ministry of the Interior. There, they did not want to comment further on the content of the protocol, which was sent to all district police commands. However, the ministry's responsibility for the recruitment bonus and the climate ticket was emphasized. The Ministry of the Interior also reiterated the previous communication line that security would not be compromised and the personnel campaign would continue. The continued existence of the climate ticket and recruitment bonus is included in this.
Why the document available to the APA still mentions cuts to the bonuses and the public transport ticket was not answered. The consequences of the overtime cuts were not addressed in detail. Each state police directorate is "of course obliged to manage operations economically and sparingly," it was merely stated. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) pointed out on Tuesday on the sidelines of an appointment in Pressbaum that budget negotiations had begun. They would be "intense and tough." There are discussions on many levels. Karner did not want to comment on speculation.
Uniformed Officers Complain About Staff Shortages
Uniformed officers report to the APA that in some districts of Styria, due to staff shortages, there are already only two patrols on night duty. The absence of night-time focus patrols and the reduction in sector patrol services are also being criticized. Short-term sick leaves could also sometimes not be replaced.
Criticism of Patchwork in Cost-Cutting Measures
As reported by the APA in March, the police in the federal capital Vienna have already imposed cuts on overtime. Similar concepts are reportedly in place in other federal states. So far, only uniform guidelines for the nine police music bands are known from Herrengasse.
Recently, the Christian Social Federal Chairman of the Police Union, Martin Heinzl (FCG), criticized the proliferation of cost-cutting concepts in the states. "In principle," Heinzl said recently, he rejects cost-cutting measures, but if they are unavoidable, "clear regulations by the Ministry of the Interior would be desirable to ensure equality between the states." "Otherwise, it only fuels discontent and envy among the staff," Heinzl now stated.
The head of the red unionists (FSG) in Styria, Jürgen Grill, called the cuts in overtime "a sign of how much security is valued by those responsible." Overtime in the police force never arises without reasons, Grill criticized.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.