At the weekend, an Austrian army guard helped to apprehend a fleeing criminal (symbolic photo above). The professional soldier, who was guarding an embassy, became aware of the situation, reacted with presence of mind and took up the chase with a police officer. Together, the two civil servants were able to stop the man on the spot.
“This success is symbolic of the excellent cooperation between the armed forces and the police. It fills me with pride that our courageous soldiers always stand by the police to keep the level of security in Austria high. Thank you today in particular to our soldier for his commitment,” said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner. A police officer, who was already off duty, became aware of a suspicious man who was handling tools at an ATM and trying to break it open. The police officer went on duty and pursued the person. With the support of the soldier, he managed to stop the man. It later emerged that the offender was a 37-year-old Bulgarian national who was already wanted on an international arrest warrant. Since November 3, 2020, up to 240 specially trained soldiers have been protecting more than 50 objects such as embassies and particularly sensitive objects in Vienna. The Armed Forces personnel come from all over Austria. They are assigned to the Vienna Provincial Police Directorate for this assistance mission and perform the tasks of the executive branch.
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