Title: Police Stop and Search Practices in Austria

Autor: Hannah Reiter

Publication: The Politicization of Police Stops in Europe (Public Issues and Police Reform)

Published: 2024

Full Text available: Here

Citation:

Reiter, H. (2024). Police Stop and Search Practices in Austria. In: de Maillard, J.; Verfaillie, K.; Rowe, M. (Eds.) The Politicization of Police Stops in Europe. Public Issues and Police Reform, 289-310. Palgrave Macmillan Cham.

Abstract:

Police identity checks and stops are still largely unresearched in the Austrian context. Some legal scholars and other social science experts criticise exactly this problem—a lack of data leads to a lack of scrutiny. This chapter nevertheless tries to present the issue of stop and search practices in Austria as comprehensively as possible. After a brief discussion of the legal framework, I will examine stakeholder criticism based on available data and research on police stop and search practices in Austria and in international comparison, where the focus often revolves around the issues of ethnic profiling in stop and search practices. I will then highlight individual reports of police misconduct that have been discussed in the media, revealing not only issues around ethnic profiling but also highlighting the difficulties of making complaints and of access to redress for police misconduct. Reactions to and statements from law enforcement officials on their practices and their role in the government’s management of the ongoing Covid-19 health crisis will then be discussed before the chapter concludes by asking why there have only been brief public debates and, consequently, only meagre efforts at change.