Regular police patrol officers in Vienna will soon be equipped with electroshock weapons, commonly known as Tasers, officials announced on Thursday.
A pilot project is set to launch in the coming weeks, with police stations in the 2nd (Leopoldstadt), 10th (Favoriten), and 21st (Floridsdorf) districts receiving the devices. Federal Police Director Michael Takacs, State Police President Gerhard Pürstl and Brigadier Ernst Albrecht provided details on the initiative.
A Taser operates by emitting electrical impulses to temporarily incapacitate individuals. Projectiles are fired at the target, connected by wires to the electroshock gun. Special units such as WEGA and Cobra already utilise Tasers, having been deployed approximately 400 times across Austria since 2012.
Training for the new equipment will commence on 1 August, with 150 officers scheduled to participate. The selected police stations in Vienna are considered “high-risk,” as emphasised by the officials during the announcement.
Brigadier Albrecht stressed, however, that the Taser is not a “magic wand that can freeze a situation.” The affected party can regain functionality within five seconds. He indicated that the electroshock weapon may be used not only on individuals posing a threat but also on those threatening self-harm.
Vienna has recently experienced an increase in in gang-related crime and violence, including at least four major armed confrontations resulting in multiple injuries.
Earlier this month, Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig called for an increase in police numbers in the Austrian capital. Read more: Vienna Mayor Calls for More Police After Recent Incidents