Austria
Law enforcement in Austria
A single national police under the Federal Ministry of the Interior, organised into nine Land directorates that are federal — not Land — authorities.
Facts on this page were checked against their sources on .
Policing in Austria is federal. The Federal Minister of the Interior is the supreme security authority, with the nine Land police directorates (Landespolizeidirektionen) subordinate to that Minister (Article 78a(1)), one for each Land (Article 78b(1)). Those directorates are federal authorities, not police forces run by the Länder. Within the Federal Ministry of the Interior sit the national police (Bundespolizei), the federal criminal police office (Bundeskriminalamt), the state-protection and intelligence directorate, and the special unit Cobra.
The same idea, explained generally
- Why do societies need law enforcement?
Law enforcement exists so that rules apply to everyone rather than to whoever can be compelled. This guide explains the function, the conditions that make it legitimate, and what it cannot do.
- What is the difference between police and law enforcement?
“Police” is one kind of institution. “Law enforcement” is a function that many bodies perform. This guide explains the distinction and why it matters when comparing countries.
Sources
Sources
Federal Constitutional Law of Austria (Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz, B-VG), consolidated
Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS), Bundeskanzleramt (Austria) · Legislation · 1930 · link verified 2026-07-26
The consolidated Austrian Federal Constitutional Law in the official legal-information system of the Federation (RIS). Individual articles were fetched at their ELI addresses and confirmed verbatim in two independent passes. Supports Art. 10(1) Z 6 and Z 7 (civil and criminal law, the administration of justice, protective institutions, and the security police — except the local security police — are FEDERAL matters of both legislation and execution); Art. 78a(1) and 78b(1) (the Federal Minister of the Interior is the supreme security authority; one Landespolizeidirektion per Land, subordinate to that Minister — federal authorities, not Land police forces); Art. 82(1) ("Die ordentliche Gerichtsbarkeit geht vom Bund aus" — ordinary jurisdiction emanates from the Federation), reworded to "ordentliche" with effect from 1 January 2014 by the 2012 administrative-jurisdiction reform; Art. 87(1) (judges independent); Art. 90a (public prosecutors as organs of the ordinary judiciary, bound by instructions as provided by federal law); Art. 92(1) (the Oberster Gerichtshof is the highest instance in civil and criminal matters); Art. 129/133 (the administrative courts and the Verwaltungsgerichtshof); Art. 144 (the Verfassungsgerichtshof); and Art. 148a (the Volksanwaltschaft handles complaints of maladministration in federal administration).
Federal Ministry of the Interior of Austria (Bundesministerium für Inneres) — police and security
Bundesministerium für Inneres (Austria) · Government publication · link verified 2026-07-26
The Federal Ministry of the Interior's official portal, read directly. Supports that the national police (Bundespolizei), the federal criminal police office (Bundeskriminalamt), the state-protection and intelligence directorate (DSN), the special unit Cobra, and the nine Landespolizeidirektionen all sit within the federal Ministry of the Interior — establishing that Austria has a single national police under the BMI, with the nine territorial directorates being federal authorities rather than separate Land forces.