86 new police trainees

Political appearances at police show on Salzburgring

Sarah and Nina completed their training with distinction. School is over, now the patrol awaits.(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

The Salzburg police force presented its new students and police officers: Including swearing-in ceremony and motorcycle training. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (both ÖVP) naturally did not miss out on a joint appearance during the election campaign. 

"As Minister of the Interior, I am giving you an order right at the beginning," concluded Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) in his closing speech: "Protect our country, protect our population, but also protect yourself." The only tip he gave the new officers was: "The job is a challenge: make sure you have someone at home to lean on and where you can process your experiences."

Around 2000 police officers on duty in Salzburg
Shortly before the National Council elections, the top police chief took the opportunity to attend the swearing-in ceremony for 86 police trainees at the Salzburgring on Tuesday with party colleague and Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler and State Police Director Bernhard Rausch. 52 policewomen celebrated the completion of their almost two-year basic training in the same setting. This means that the Salzburg police force now has around 2000 police officers on duty, as Hans Wolfsgruber, head of the police press office, confirms.

Edtstadler: "The police are world class."
From the traffic inspectorate and district police to special units such as Cobra or the criminal investigation department, the spectrum is diverse and attractive. This is also confirmed by the resignation figures. Wolfsgruber: "Once people join us, they usually stay. Unnatural departures - such as resignations - are rare." The police don't have more than twelve departures a year. In terms of personnel, the force is well staffed. Edtstadler even considers the police force to be "world class", especially in an international comparison.

16 nations represented
Speaking of international comparison: while the party received their decrees in the warm tent and were then invited to lunch in the pit lane, police officers from 16 nations practiced their motorcycle driving skills on the Salzburgring, sometimes in pouring rain.