Law enforcement in Liechtenstein is handled solely by the small Liechtenstein National Police Force (Landespolizei),^{note 1} consisting of 87 officers and 38 civilian staff, a total of 125 employees (not including the Security Corps), who police the 160 km² (61 sq mi) doubly landlocked alpine country in Western-Central Europe.² Bordered by Switzerland to its west, and Austria to its east, Liechtenstein maintains a trilateral treaty which enables close cross-border cooperation between the police forces of the three countries; Liechtenstein is also a member of Interpol, and a signatory to a variety of other treaties.³⁴

Liechtenstein's low crime rate

Liechtenstein has a significantly low crime rate, with the last murder taking place, according to a serving officer, “about ten years ago” as of 2007. Crime has always been low since the mid 1970s when Liechtenstein started to prosper as a nation.⁵ A resident of Balzers said he does not even lock his door anymore, and he has not touched the lock on his front door since 1976.⁶⁷ Liechtenstein jails hold very few, if any, inmates, with sentences over two years being transferred to Austria.⁷ Officers in the Liechtenstein police force have been armed since a shooting took place.^when?⁷

Structure

Liechtenstein National Police Force is divided into five divisions:⁸⁹

Security and Traffic Control Division (62 officers; 5 civilian men and women); Administration Security and Traffic Unit, Security Unit, Traffic Unit, Traffic Engineering and Prevention Unit, Special Police Unit (SWAT),^{note 2} Border Unit,^{note 3} Riot Police,^{note 4} and Protection Unit.^{note 5}

Criminal Investigation Division (16 officers; 10 civilian men and women); Administration Crime Investigation Division, Serious Crime Unit, Trace Unit, Financial Crime Unit, Forensic Unit, Crime Intelligence Unit.

Executive Support Division (7 officers; 15 civilian men and women); Systems Organization and Quality Department, Logistics, Emergence Command and Dispatch, Information Technology, Sate Penitentiary, and Relation Unit,
Chief of Staff (2 officers; 7 civilian men and women); Traffic and Administration Law Department, Legal Assistant, Commissioner's Office; Public Information Center, and Finance and Controlling.

Security Corps (100 - 300 men and woman)¹⁰ The Security Corps are a reserve police force, mainly composed of off duty Swiss and Austrians police, who can be called upon in case of a natural disaster, or riot situations. The Corps on average, are deployed twice a year, in some manner or degree.

Sole Protector of Liechtenstein

Law enforcement in Liechtenstein is handled solely by the Liechtenstein National Police Force.¹¹ Liechtenstein follows a policy of neutrality and is one of few countries in the world that maintains no military.¹² Liechtenstein's Army was abolished in 1868, soon after the Austro-Prussian War in which Liechtenstein fielded an army of 80 men, although they were not involved in any fighting.¹³¹⁴ However, Liechtenstein can reinstate its military if deemed necessary, although this is very unlikely.¹⁵

List of Policing Treaties

Since 1933, Liechtenstein National Police Force has signed seven strategic treaties.¹⁶

Working Group Southwest
Europol
International Police Association (IPA)
Interpol
Eastern Swiss police Concordat
Police union boss Constance
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

Emergencies

The national emergency telephone number is 112, for police it is 117, for the Fire brigade it is 118, for the Ambulance Service it is 144, and for the Rega it is 1414.¹⁷

Liechtenstein Customs Control

The Swiss border between Switzerland and Liechtenstein is opened, but with Swiss customs officers used to secure Liechtenstein's border with Austria.¹⁸¹⁹ There were 21 Swiss, 4 Liechtenstein National Police officers and 20 Austria border guards who secured the Liechtenstein-Austrian border (before December 2011).²⁰

In February 2007, there were hundreds of people trying to seek asylum in Liechtenstein, mainly from countries such as Somalia and Eritrea.²¹ Due to the number of people attempting to cross the border, border guards were stationed on both the Switzerland-Liechtenstein border and the Liechtenstein-Austrian border, with the main objective of maintaining law and order for all Liechtensteiners.²² This security measure lasted for about 90 days, with well over 800 people seeking asylum in Liechtenstein.²³

On December 2011, Liechtenstein became the fourth non-European Union country to join the Schengen Area after Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.²⁴ This means Liechtenstein has an open border with both Switzerland and Austria, and the closer of several Liechtenstein-Austria border stations.²⁵ In addition, Balzers Heliport restricts all helicopters coming from non Schengen countries, mainly to limit security concerns.²⁶ All that will be left in the terms of customs control is a high-tech video surveillance system (over 60 cameras costing $2.3 million) and regular mobile border patrol units.²⁷

Liechtenstein Border Crossing Photos

Liechtenstein National Police Force
	Liechtenstein National Police Force; Liechtenstein Landespolizei
Common name	Landespolizei
Abbreviation	LL
Motto	Für Gott, Fürst und Vaterland
	For God, Prince and Fatherland
Agency overview
Formed	1933
Preceding agency	Security Corps Auxiliary Corps
Employees	125
Annual budget	Secret
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
National agency	Liechtenstein
Operations jurisdiction*	Administrative divisions of, Liechtenstein
	Map of Liechtenstein National Police Force's jurisdiction.
Size	160 km² (61 sq mi)
Population	35,600
Governing body	Office of Civil Protection
Constituting instrument	Liechtenstein Constitution
General nature	Law enforcement; Local civilian police;
Operational structure
Headquarters	Vaduz
Sworn members	87
Unsworn members	100 - 300 (Security Corps)
Elected officer responsible	Hugo Quaderer, Minister of the interior
Agency executive	Adrian Hasler, Chief of Police
Units	List of Units
Departments	Individually controlled
	Facilities
One per administrative divisions	Balzers, Bendern - Gamprin, Eschen, Ruggell, Schaan, Schaanwald - Mauren, Schellenberg, Triesenberg, Triesen, and Vaduz
Speedboats	2
Helicopters	1
	Website
	[1]
	Footnotes
	* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

Looking at an Austria border sign.
Looking into Austria from Liechtenstein, with a joint border station.
Looking into Austria from Liechtenstein, with a joint border station.
Looking from Switzerland to Liechtenstein, with no border controls.
Looking from Liechtenstein to Switzerland, with no border controls.
Looking at a pedestrian bridge crossing the Liechtensteiners Swiss border.

Notes

^ However, there are two Interpol and Europol agents stationed in Vaduz.
^ The Special Police Unit (SWAT) is considered by some Liechtensteiners to be a military unit, due in part to its deployment of body armour, a Bell UH-1 helicopter, and automatic weapons which include Walther PP handguns, Heckler and Koch MP5s, and Swiss SiG carbines. The unit also has semi-military roles such as maritime security, air defence, diplomatic protection, and honorary roles such as changing the guard.
^ Even though the Liechtenstein National Police Force have a border unit, Swiss border police are responsible for border protection of both countries according to a customs union adopted in 1924.
^ The Riot Police is composed of 37 men and women of whom 31 come from other divisions inside the Security and Traffic Control Division.
^ The Protection Unit is mainly used by the royal family, however elected officials or ordinary citizens may request protection from the unit.

External links

References

[1] However, there are two Interpol and Europol agents stationed in Vaduz.

[10] The Special Police Unit (SWAT) is considered by some Liechtensteiners to be a military unit, due in part to its deployment of body armour, a Bell UH-1 helicopter, and automatic weapons which include Walther PP handguns, Heckler and Koch MP5s, and Swiss SiG carbines. The unit also has semi-military roles such as maritime security, air defence, diplomatic protection, and honorary roles such as changing the guard.

[11] Even though the Liechtenstein National Police Force have a border unit, Swiss border police are responsible for border protection of both countries according to a customs union adopted in 1924.

[12] The Riot Police is composed of 37 men and women of whom 31 come from other divisions inside the Security and Traffic Control Division.

[13] The Protection Unit is mainly used by the royal family, however elected officials or ordinary citizens may request protection from the unit.

[0] ttp://www.swissheli.com/helifleet.htm#Heliswiss

[2] OSCEpolis 'Liechtenstein retrieved on May 9, 2007

[3] Liechtenstein – facts and figures retrieved from here on May 9, 2007

[4] ttp://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/rwinslow/europe/liechtenstein.html

[5] ttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ls.html

[6] ttp://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/rwinslow/europe/liechtenstein.html

[International_Special_Reports-7] International Special Reports Police are rarely seen in this peaceful principality retrieved on May 9, 2007

[8] ttp://www.landespolizei.li/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=jZ7KjMGNilg%3D&tabid=409&mid=1437

[9] ttp://www.landespolizei.li

[14] ttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/2398692/Liechtenstein-fear-security-will-not-be-sufficient.html

[15] ttp://www.toptenz.net/top-10-countries-without-military-forces.php

[16] ttp://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/liechtenstein/liechtenstein_military.html

[17] ttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ls.html

[18] ttp://www.toptenz.net/top-10-countries-without-military-forces.php

[a-19] ristopher-eger.suite101.com

[20] ttp://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.landespolizei.li/&ei=Qwv6TumwDoHt0gG_s4GkAg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCUQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dliechtenstein%2BLandespolizei%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D704%26prmd%3Dimvns

[21] ttp://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.landespolizei.li/&ei=LqP7TrScMML50gHN_aGwAg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCUQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dliechtenstein%2BLandespolizei%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D704%26prmd%3Dimvns

[22] ttp://www.sophiesworld.net/border-liechtenstein-switzerland/

[23] ttp://geosite.jankrogh.com/borders/atli/index.html

[24] ttp://www.landespolizei.li

[25] ttp://www.englishforum.ch/daily-life/67630-liechtenstein-border-control-ch.html

[26] ttp://www.unog.ch/unog/website/news_media.nsf/%28httpNewsByYear_en%29/503CDB599A0F5546C1257719003AE5D5

[27] ttp://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/eur/154434.htm

[28] ttp://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news_digest/No_more_controls_on_Swiss-Liechtenstein_border_.html?cid=31796054

[29] ttp://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Schengen_arrangements_for_Liechtenstein_agreed.html?cid=6945042

[30] ttp://cyan.rrx.ca/liechtenstein.shtml

[31] ttp://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Schengen_arrangements_for_Liechtenstein_agreed.html?cid=6945042

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Law enforcement in Liechtenstein

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