52 police inspections in Vienna end party traffic – Diepresse.com on Sundays

The Viennese police have to continue to buckle the belt, and there are again incisions. The official lessons on Sundays and public holidays are also affected in July. These should be significantly reduced. The State Police Directorate (LPD) confirmed this on Friday afternoon. « All 52 police inspections that are filled without 24-hour party traffic are included, » said spokeswoman Anna Gutt.

Specifically, in July, almost two thirds of the 81 inspections in Vienna for party traffic also remain close on Sunday and public holidays, and a complaint is only possible at 29 locations. « On Sundays and public holidays, there is still the possibility of visiting the police inspections opened around the clock for party concerns, » said Gutt.

Due to positive experiences from the trial operation of the party traffic restricted since October 2023, the measures are now expanded to the Sunday and public holiday, « in order to devote themselves even more intensively to the actual needs of the population and continue to focus on the core area of ​​the police tasks, the executive field, », says Gutt. The need for all 81 stations around the clock to open to citizens were « no longer available to this extent, » it said. Citizens should also be informed about the nearest open police station at the weekend.

Concept was already on the table in spring 2024

The State Police Directorate had previously applied the savings pen during the night during the week in October 2023. Since then, party traffic for personal advertisements and other citizen services has only been possible in 29 inspections in Vienna from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. According to APA research, measures for Sundays and public holidays had already been short of implementation last spring, but the plans were rejected again shortly before the introduction.

This March, significant cuts were finally published at overtime and other cost factors. The State Police Directorate then referred to the Ministry of the Interior. There the cuts were justified with the budget provisory in the meantime.

Criticism of several sides

The head of the Viennese FPÖ, Dominik Nepp, criticized on Friday evening. « This police savings course is a security risk for our city, » he said in a broadcast in the direction of the ÖVP-led Interior Ministry and in that of City Councilor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ). He wanted to protest against this madness with all available means, « said Nepp.

Before that, staff representatives had already cleared their anger. « The nightly agency closures in October 2023 were sold by the state police chief as a relief, » said police trade unionist Walter Strallhofer, chairman of the staff representative in Vienna in the afternoon. « The temporary closure of certain departments transfers the tasks to other colleagues. » This leads to an additional burden on the remaining inspections and underlines again the tense personnel situation. In addition, there are far fewer police officers in Vienna on Sundays and public holidays. Last but not least, it could happen that stations will remain closed for up to 72 hours if, for example, a Sunday followed on the three Christmas holidays, Strallhofer criticized.

The chairman of the group of Christian trade unionists (FCG) in Vienna, Gerhard Zauner, demanded that the “colleagues finally cushion pure wine”. The cuts were sold as a « relief measure due to the upcoming vacation period, » said Zauner. « I don’t think that’s the real reason, » said the deputy chairman of the specialist committee in Vienna. « I think it is a savings measure due to the budgetary situation. » (APA)