Favorite: Waiting for 70 Cops, the promised tenth

Security in the Tenth District has long been a point of contention. Favorite politicians in the region are calling for more uniforms in the region. When answering questions in parliament, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner promised improvements.

Vienna / favourites. Safety has long been at the center of political contention in Favoriten. Whether it’s hooliganism, as on New Year’s Eve a couple of years ago, or the situation on Keplerplatz, where merchants go about their business: 10th has grabbed the headlines for a long time.

“For ten years I have been calling for an increase in the number of police officers in the district and a restructuring of police checks,” said district chief Markus Franz (SPÖ). It also calculates that in Linz, for example, there are 630 security officers on duty, while in the larger favourites, only 320 are deployed. So far nothing has changed.

request to the minister

Now the favored national chancellor, Petra Beyer (SPÖ), has begun a new bid for more security. I asked Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) when the security forces in the region would be increased, how many and when the necessary replenishments for inspections would come.

“At Favoriten, there was an increase of ten additional positions at the end of 2020, and the City Police Command has been augmented at Favoriten since 2018,” Karner replied. He promised further improvements and made it clear that closing the guard rooms is not currently being considered.

New police station?

According to the minister, changes to the zoning plan still need to be made for the inspection of Keplerplatz, which needs to be renewed. However, the necessary procedures for renovation will already be carried out. The course has already been set for a new police station in the area – where it will be located remains to be seen. An offer has already been received and negotiations are ongoing.

required procedures

Baer is disappointed with the answers: “The promised jobs are far less than the 70-plus police officers previously promised in Favourites.” The politician also fears that what is meant is not an increase in the security forces, but rather the administrative staff.

Although this would also be necessary, it would not guarantee more security in the area to the extent required. Karner calls for specific actions to make the region safer in the future.

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