130 police officers

Amok run and demonstrations: emergency unit practises for emergencies

The Carinthia task force practiced various operational scenarios(Bild: Polizei Kärnten)

At the Villach Church Day, the European Bike Week on Lake Faak, at sporting events with large crowds of fans, demonstrations or increasingly often at sit-in blockades - when things get particularly tricky in the state, the specially trained officers of the Carinthian task force are called out. 

Aggressive and armed with Molotov cocktails, among other things, the violent demonstrators march through the streets. Images that are now (unfortunately) familiar from television. A case for the special officers of the task force - known in the jargon as the "large security and public order service". Equipped with protective vests, helmets, shields and weapons such as batons, the police confront the attackers, contain them and defuse the dangerous situation. In this case, however, it was fortunately only a training scenario at the military training area in Glainach, where a total of around 130 officers from the task force spent three days rehearsing an emergency situation.

Violent and armed rioters marched through the streets(Bild: Polizei Kärnten)

"In total, the special unit consists of 175 specially trained law enforcement officers who are normally on normal duty at the police stations - and who, in addition to their everyday challenges, are voluntarily part of the task force and are deployed in an emergency," says Erich Londer, head of the special unit. 

As a rule, we keep to ourselves during these exercises. But of course we also sometimes train with the air police, mountaineers or dog handlers.

Oberst Erich Londer, Leiter der Kärntner Einsatzeinheit

The officers come together four times a year for such exercises - twice in spring and twice in fall. In order to be as well prepared as possible for all possible danger scenarios, to perfect and automate tactical interaction with one another. And to prepare for new challenges. As in exercise scenario number 2: technical operations! This involved "detaching" stuck or chained demonstrators from roads or buildings safely and unharmed using manual equipment such as chainsaws or cutting discs. 

An armed person runs amok and has to be overpowered.(Bild: Polizei Kärnten)

"Exercise scenario number 3 is about robust area protection - as we call it," explains Londer. "Our colleagues are out and about with assault rifles and try to provide the best possible security in the event of an increased risk situation - for example, an armed person on a building. Or we search for a fugitive who is armed." As in the case of the gunman Friedrich Felzmann in Stiwoll, Styria, where the task force was also deployed in 2017. 

The safe and injury-free "liberation" of pinned-down demonstrators is one of the more recent challenges for the officers.(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

This time, heads of authorities and representatives of the judiciary were also present at the training site as onlookers. The aim was to use realistic scenarios to show them what operational work looks like in practice - and what challenges the officers of the operational unit face with what possible means.