Ranks of the Austrian security executive

The Austrian security executive consists of the members of the federal police guard and the administrative employees of the higher service (especially the legally qualified service) at the security authorities who are authorized to exercise direct command and coercive power . The members of the federal police guard have the official title of executive officer (EB). In addition, they also have a rank as a description of use , which is stipulated in a rank ordinance. The members of the public medical service do not have police powers in the conventional sense, but they can make decisions in the police field (e.g. instruction of psychotics) and also belong to the security authorities. Police chaplains and guest musicians in police music do not belong to the federal police or to the security authorities. But since they are also entitled to wear a uniform, there are distinguishing signs for them too.

The rank of uniformed officers can be recognized by the distinctive signs (also called distinctions ). They are shown here in ascending order.

New distinctive signs were introduced in September 2015, see section Redesign 2015 . However, since the previously valid distinctive signs can also be used alongside the old distinctive signs during a five-year conversion phase, the two series are compared below.

Public security organs

Executive staff

The ranks of the executive staff can be divided into three employment groups (VWGr.). The color of the substrate ( equalization ) of the distinctions is madder red. The federal coat of arms in a wreath of oak leaves is depicted on all of them as a corps badge . The strands are each made of fabric, the corps badges and the stars are embroidered on the epaulette badges made of plastic and on the collar badges.

Law enforcement officers in basic police training

→ Main article : "Basic training" in the article Police training in Austria

Use group E2c would be provided for officers in basic police training. For basic police training, admission to civil service is no longer planned. Instead, police students are hired as contract agents on a special contract ; they are also called aspirants. After completing the basic police training, he is appointed as a classified officer (employment group E2b). The corps badge is platinum for the executive officers in training.

Law enforcement officers in basic police training
Rank (Short name) requirements	Aspirant (ASP) during basic police training
Distinctions until 2015
Distinctions from 2015

Executive officer in the border control service

The training for contract employees in the border service is shortened to basic training with a focus on border and foreign police tasks as well as operational training. After 6 months, the basic training is completed with a specialist examination. After that, the staff hold the rank of Inspector GFP. After 18 to 24 months of field work on a specialist police inspection for foreign and border police official acts (FGP), a 9-month supplementary training course is followed in the newly established St. Pölten training center, which ends with the appointment as a classified officer (service group E2b). The corps badge is platinum for contract employees in border service. In contrast to the aspirants, there is a platinum-colored star on the distinction.

Executive officer in the border control service
designation (Short name) requirements	Inspector GFP (InspGFP) Brief training on border security
Distinctions

Assigned officials

The assigned officers are the lowest level within the federal police guard. An appointment as a classified officer (employment group E2b) takes place immediately after completing the basic police training. In 2015 there were 15,667 employees ( FTE ) in the E2b application group, which is around 58% of the total number of executive employees . In contrast to the other employment groups, the rank of the civil servants assigned is exclusively a question of seniority. The various ranks of the civil servants are represented by platinum-colored stars (also with borders in the old scheme). The corps badge is also in this color.

Usage group E 2b "Assigned civil servants"
Rank (Short name) requirements	Inspector (Insp) Appointment 3 months after passing the exam	Area inspector (RevInsp) from content level 4	Group inspector (GrInsp) from content stage 12
Distinctions until 2015
Distinctions from 2015

Duty officers

The civil servants in charge of the job are civil servants in management or special functions, with the respective ranks depending on the function group (FGr), i.e. the evaluation of the respective job. Officials in charge of duty work as clerks or group commanders at police inspections or as detective officers, but can move up to the head of a police station, a department in a state police department or the deputy district police commander of a smaller district. Indicative uses for the individual function groups are regulated in item 9 of Appendix 1 to the Civil Service Law Act. The prerequisite for the appointment as a civil servant is the completion of a selection process and the completion of appropriate training for civil servants . In 2015 there were 9185 employees in the E2a ( FTE ) employment group , around 33% of all executive employees . The various ranks of the officers in charge are represented by silver braids and gold stars. The corps badge is also in gold.

Usage group E 2a "Duty officers"
Rank (Short name) requirements	Group Inspector (GrInsp) GL, FGr. 1	District inspector (BezInsp) FGr. 2 and 3	Department inspector (AbtInsp) FGr. 4th	Control Inspector (KontrInsp) FGr. 5	Chief Inspector ( Chief Inspector ) FGr. 6th	Chief Inspector ( Chief Inspector ) FGr. 7th
Distinctions until 2015
Distinctions from 2015

Senior officials

The senior civil servants are civil servants in higher management positions, for example city or district police commander or state police director, whereby the holders of the high management positions (if they have completed a law degree or another relevant degree) are also administrative officers of the higher service can. The ranks of the senior officials depend on the function group, i.e. the evaluation of the respective job. The standard uses are in item 8 of Appendix 1 to the Civil Service Law Act. The prerequisite for the appointment as a senior civil servant is the completion of a selection process and the completion of a corresponding training for senior civil servants , which includes the completion of the University of Applied Sciences bachelor's degree in Police Management at the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt . In 2015 there were 607 employees in employment group E1 ( FTE ), that is around 2% of all executive employees . In the case of the senior officials, the various ranks are represented by gold braids and silver and gold stars. The corps badge is also either silver or gold.

Usage group E 1 "Senior Officials"
Rank (Short name) requirements	Lieutenant (Lt) GL	First Lieutenant (Oblt) FGr. 1 and 2	Captain (Hptm) FGr. 3	Major (Mjr) FGr. 4th	Lieutenant Colonel (Obstlt) FGr. 5 and 6	Colonel (fruit) FGr. 7 and 8
Distinctions until 2015
Distinctions from 2015
VWGr. E 1 "Senior Officials"
Rank (Short name) requirements	Brigadier (Bgdr) FGr. 9	Major General (GenMjr) FGr. 10 and 11	General (Gl) FGr. 12
Distinctions until 2015
Distinctions from 2015

The distinctive sign used by the year 2015 for the law enforcement officers are essentially in the tradition of wax body Bundesgendarmerie , federal safety guard corps and Zollwache from which it originated, among others. In the case of the new distinguishing marks, however, the shoulder distances have been adapted to the system of collar distances.

Legal service

The members of the legal service are administrative officials at the security authorities. Although they do not form a corps like the federal police guard, they are still organs of the public security service ( Section 5, Paragraph 2, Item 3 of the Security Police Act ). Therefore, they are authorized to wear a uniform and associated distinctions.

In the old system (until 2015), instead of the corps badge, they carried the federal coat of arms in an elliptical border on the distinctions. In contrast to the other distinctions, the basic color of the distinctions was burgundy violet. The various official titles are represented by golden braids, silver and gold stars and silver and gold acanthus ornaments . In contrast to the law enforcement officers, all distinctive features are embroidered.

In the new system used from 2015 , the corps badge used for the executive staff is also affixed to the distinctions of the members of the legally qualified service in order to bring the guards together with the authorities in the course of the Security Authorities Restructuring Act 2012 . In order to be able to distinguish between the executive staff and the members of the legal service, only acanthus ornaments are used in the new system.

Members of the legally qualified service at the security authorities
Official title (Short name)	Commissioner (Kmsr)	High Commissioner (OKmsr)	Council (Rt)	Oberrat (ORt)	Hofrat (HR) Ministerialrat (MR)
Distinctions until 2015
Distinctions from 2015		no longer provided

Higher service

Since July 1, 2014, administrative employees of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the state police departments can also be appointed to the public security service who have not completed a law degree but a different degree and therefore belong to the higher service (employment group A1). In contrast to the members of the legally qualified service, the completion of the basic police training is compulsory here ( § 5 Abs. 2 Z 4 of the Security Police Act ). Since these employees belong to the administrative employees like members of the legal service, the same distinctions are provided for them as for members of the legal service.

Management functions

For members of the legally qualified service (higher service) in special management functions, special distinctions are provided that correspond to the system of distinguishing signs for the other members of the legally qualified service. Since the restructuring of the security authorities in 2012 , a number of these functions can also be carried out by law enforcement officers in employment group E 1 (senior officials). Distinctions corresponding to their rank are provided for them, the only exceptions being the Deputy State Police Director (outside Vienna) and the State Police Vice President (in Vienna).

The state police directors and the Vienna police chief as well as their deputies have been using the distinctions according to the new system from September 1, 2012, which resulted in a mixed system of old and new distinctions in the transition period.

For the Secretary General in the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the police uniform regulation does not provide for a uniform or distinctive signs, but the Secretary General Peter Goldgruber wore the distinctive signs of the Director General for Public Security ; his uniform had red-gold-red lamps and a sleeve badge with the words "Federal Ministry of the Interior" instead of "Police".

Management functions
Activity until 2012	Deputy Police Director, Head of Department in the Federal Ministry of the Interior , Head of the Police Commissariate and Head of Department at BPD Vienna	Deputy security director, board members of the offices of BPD Vienna , department head in the BM.I	Police vice-president , police director and department heads II / 1, II / 2 and II / 10 in the BM.I.	Police President , Security Director and Group Leader II / A in the BM.I	General Director for Public Security
Activity 2012–2015	Head of Department in the Federal Ministry of the Interior , Head of the Police Commissioner	Head of Department in the BM.I	no longer in use	no longer in use	no longer in use
Distinctions
Activity 2012–2015	not yet in use	not yet in use	Head of II / 1, II / 2 and II / 10 MoI , National Police Deputy Manager , National Police Vice President Vienna	Group leader II / A in the MoI , State Police Director , State Police Commissioner Vienna	General Director for Public Security
Activity from 2015	Head of the State Police Department , Head of the Police Commissioner	Head of department in the Federal Ministry of the Interior , office and department head of the State Police Directorate	Head of Department at MoI, State Police Deputy Director , National Police Vice President Vienna	Group leader MoI, director of EKO Cobra / DSE, .BK , .BVT , BAK , National Police Director , State Police Commissioner Vienna	General Director for Public Security
Distinctions

Other uniform wearers

Medical service

The basic color of the distinctions is madder red, as with the distinctions of the law enforcement officers. Instead of the corps badge, the Aesculapian staff symbolizing the medical profession is affixed in an elliptical border on the distinctions ; this was not changed in the course of the new regulation in 2015. In the old system, the various official titles or designations of use were represented by golden strands, silver stars and silver and gold acanthus ornaments. In the new system used from 2015, an acantus ornament is used in accordance with the legal service.

Medical service
Official title	Commissioner	Contract doctor	advice	Councilor	Councilor and chief contract doctor
Distinctions until 2015
activity		Contract doctor	Contract doctor for at least 20 years
Distinctions from 2015

In the police medical service, too, special distinctions are provided for some prominent managerial functions.

Chief physicians
activity			Head physician in the BPD Vienna and deputy head physician in the BM.I	Chief physician in the BM.I
Distinctions until 2015
activity	Deputy chief physician in a state police department	Chief physician in a state police department	Deputy chief physician in the Federal Ministry of the Interior	Chief physician in the BM.I
Distinctions from 2015

Police chaplain

On the distinctions of the police chaplains, in addition to the corps badge, the cross is attached as a symbol for the Christian religion. Currently (2012) there are only Christian (Protestant and Catholic) police chaplains. The police chaplains are employed by the respective church and are appointed by them to be police chaplains in agreement with the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Due to a decree of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, this is linked to the right to wear the police uniform. The police chaplains are not organs of the public security service, so they have no executive service powers.

Police chaplain
activity	Area curat	Country Curate	Federal Curate
Distinctions until 2015
Distinctions from 2015

Police musician

Police musicians usually wear their traditional distinctions. This excludes guest musicians in those police bands whose stock cannot be replenished by police officers alone. The distinctions of the guest musicians correspond to those of the aspirants (from 2015: inspectors), but without the corps badge, whereby a lyre is attached instead of the star as a musician symbol . The Kapellmeister also wears special distinctions that correspond to those of a chief inspector. Next to the corps badge, there is also a lyre on it.

Police music
activity	Guest musician	Kapellmeister
Distinctions until 2015
Distinctions from 2015

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l} , as far as linguistically possible, according to Article 7, Paragraph 3 of the Federal Constitutional Act, female civil servants carry the ranks, designations and official titles in female form (e.g. district inspector , first lieutenant , court councilor ). The use of the term Hauptfrau, although permitted, is not common.
2. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Civil servants who have already held a higher rank can, under certain conditions, keep this rank even if the conditions are no longer met (Section 1, Paragraphs 3 and 5 of the Rank Order ). On the occasion of retirement, the next higher rank can be awarded (Section 2 of the Rank Ordinance). When deployed abroad, higher ranks can be awarded temporarily (Section 3 of the Ranks Ordinance).
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w} Here, on the left-hand side, the distinctive signs for the collar are shown, which are used for the representative uniform (RU) and the motorcycle jackets . On the right are those distinctive signs that can be attached to the shoulder (shoulder or postponement distinctions).
4. ↑ After a positive medical examination, the transfer to the definitive employment relationship takes place. This is already possible after 4 years, including as an inspector.
5. ↑ Only after an actual total service period of 6 years in executive service (Section 1 (4 ) of the Rank Ordinance )
6. ↑ ^{a b} The rank of lieutenant general (classified between major general and general ), which is possible in accordance with the Civil Service Law Act 1979, is not used in the Federal Police.
7. ↑ In the first 3 months after being transferred to employment group E1, the civil servants only hold the rank of "lieutenant", regardless of their function group (Section 1 (1a ) of the Rank Ordinance )
8. ↑ ^{a b c d} Officials of the executive service in employment group E1 in the basic career or in function group 2, 3, 4 or 6 are after continuous continuous employment of more than five years in the same or a branch of the same job to lead the for the next higher function group designated grade (Section 1 (2a ) of the Grade Ordinance )

Redesign 2015

The plan to align the epaulette badges and collar badges, as one would e.g. B. looks at the distinctions of the department inspector, based on the model of the respective collar distinction, was put forward for the first time shortly after the introduction of the new distinctions in 2005. Implementation of this idea was scheduled for the beginning of 2010, but a decision on this was postponed until summer 2010.

In 2012, with the restructuring of the security authorities in 2012 , a new, uniform corps badge, from VB / S to General Director for Public Security, was sought. For this purpose, an internal ideas competition was announced. This project was stopped before the end of the competition due to a complaint from the staff representatives.

As a result, it was decided that the employees of the legally qualified service should also wear the corps badge of the federal police guard. The basic color of the distinctions is changed for all employees from madder red (guard body) and burgundy purple (authority) to crimson red . Furthermore, the above mentioned adjustment of shoulder and collar distances was decided. The redesigned distinctions for the state police directors, the state police chief in Vienna and the deputies of the aforementioned have been in use since September 1, 2012 (the day the security authorities restructuring came into force in 2012). A first draft of the distinctions for the other employees was presented in May 2014. The introduction of the new distinctions at the beginning of 2015 was confirmed by the Federal Police at the end of 2014. However, it should be possible to continue using the distinctions according to the old system for a period of five years (i.e. probably until 2020).

Since September 2015, the new distinctions can now be obtained by the staff.

Historical distinctions of the Federal Security Guard Corps and the Federal Gendarmerie

• 

  Distinctions of the former Federal Security Guard Corps

• 

  Historical distinguishing marks of the employees of the higher service of the security authorities

See also

• Ranks of the fire brigade in Austria
• Ranks of the Austrian Armed Forces
• Ranks of the Austrian Red Cross

literature

• Peter Steiner: badge of the Austrian executive: function, activity, achievement and corps badge; Customs guard, federal gendarmerie, security guard, judicial guard, customs, police. Republic of Austria, Federal Ministry for National Defense and Sport, Vienna 2011, ISBN 978-3-902551-25-2 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Rank ordinance for executive service in the Federal Police , Federal Law Gazette II No. 204/2005 in the currently applicable version. In: Federal legal information system.
2. ↑ ^{a b c} POLIZEI KÄRNTEN: The information magazine of the State Police Directorate , accessed on January 24, 2015
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} Uniform distinguishing mark of the guard body of the Federal Police , Federal Ministry of the Interior, accessed on January 25, 2015
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Uniform distinguishing marks (for organs of the public security service according to § 5 Abs. 1 Z 1 SPG from 2015), Federal Ministry of the Interior, accessed on September 5, 2016
5. ↑ New: Short course for border police officers , on orf.at, accessed on September 7, 2016
6. ↑ ^{a b c} Part of the Federal Ministry of the Interior (UG11) of the federal accounts for the year 2015, page 1080, on the website of the Austrian Court of Auditors, accessed on September 3, 2016.
7. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Uniform distinguishing marks of the legally qualified , official medical and pastoral service (until 2012), Federal Ministry of the Interior, accessed on 25 January 2015
8. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} Uniform distinguishing marks of the Federal Police (for legally qualified, official medical and pastoral services from 2012), Federal Ministry of the Interior, accessed on January 25, 2015
9. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Uniform distinguishing marks of the Federal Police (for organs of the public security service according to § 5 Abs. 1 Z 3 and 4 SPG, the medical service and the pastoral service from 2015), Federal Ministry of the Interior, accessed on 5 September 2016
10. ^ Club of the Executive: Uniform Distinctions for the LPD Board! , August 12, 2012, accessed on January 25, 2015
11. ^ Verein Kuratorium Polizeimusik Wien: Photo gallery of the Vienna Police Ball 2018. Accessed on January 16, 2018 . 
12. ↑ ^{a b} Organizational Decree BMI-OA1000 / 0308-II / 1 / b / 2006, January 2, 2007: Organization; Police chaplaincy (PDF, distinctions on p. 3; 78 kB) on the police chaplaincy website . Retrieved November 2, 2011.
13. ↑ FSG Executive Club - "Distinctions NEW"