The Military Police () is the branch within the Austrian Armed Forces tasked with law enforcement and the protection of the forces, military events and Austrian Armed Forces property. The increasing number of international operations with the participation of Austrian soldiers and new threat scenarios hugely expand the spectrum of tasks.
Military Police Command
The Austrian MP Command, located in Vienna, consists of the following elements
Military Police HQ
Fundamentals Division
Training Division
Signal platoon
Personal protection
3 MP Companies
MP militia
MP Companies / Locations
One MP HQ in Vienna, one in Graz, one in Salzburg, one in Klagenfurt and one in St. Pölten, each composed of the following elements HQ element Special tasks Supply element 3 MP platoons
Tasks
Additionally to its traditional domestic tasks, the formation now also fulfills tasks in international operations. In Austria the Military Police is only tasked with internal Armed Forces matters. Abroad, the Military Police is tasked with extensive assignments. It closes the security gap between a conflict that has ended and a functioning society. A large number of experienced specialists and modern equipment are required to meet these demanding tasks.
National tasks
Check routines and security checks
Security duty
Traffic control
Personal Protection
Force Protection
Law enforcement
Inquiries
International tasks
Until national police units have been formed, the Military Police is responsible for all tasks which have to be fulfilled by law-enforcement agencies. These tasks are highly diverse and in every field require the employment of specialists with modern equipment. Taking down traffic accidents Crime scene investigation Fingerprinting and photographing Interrogations Searches/investigations/support in interventions Detention of dangerous criminals Crowd and riot control Operation of detention facilities Interventions (Special weapons and tactics - SWAT) Personal Protection Defence against terrorism
Requirements
Austrian citizenship
Completed basic national service in the Austrian Armed Forces
No previous criminal or disciplinary convictions
Good vision
Military driver's license, at least B1
Security clearance
Good physical fitness
Aptitude rating above 5 (= result of the induction process) Minimum height: Men: 168; Women: 163 cm
Selection
Professional and militia officers and non-commissioned officers take precedence. (International) experience in command functions of combat units is an advantage. The MP selection procedure can, however, already be undergone after the corporals' course. It is not before the second semester of the NCO training course, though, that the actual training to become a member of the Military Police begins. During the MP selection procedure, the candidates' psychological resilience is especially tested, besides general fitness and the ability to work in a team.
Training
Before admission to the MP selection course, every candidate has successfully to complete basic training 1, 2 and 3 as well as the corporals' course. Having passed the selection course, the candidate is admitted to the first semester of the NCO training course at the NCO Academy. During the second semester the candidate starts MP basic training at the Training Division of the Military Police Command in Vienna, after the successful completion of which s/he becomes a member of the MP.
Basic MP training
Overpowering a suspect
Legal provisions
Traffic control
Check routines
Inquiry fundamentals
Law enforcement
Weapons Training
Military hand-to-hand combat
Medical service
Procedures in buildings
Various military driver's licenses
Radio operator training
CRC training (duty during demonstrations) Search for persons Employment in the international MP service
Special training
Basic MP training is followed by special MP training, in which MP members are trained in the task areas they are earmarked for.