Liechtenstein: police & security agencies
01 January 1991
Liechtenstein: police & security agencies
bacdoc July=1995
The information in this country file was first published in the
handbook "Statewatching the new Europe" (November 1993). It was
compiled by Peter Klerks and extracted from a longer report which
is available from: The Domestic Security Research Foundation, PO
Box 11178, 1001 GD, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Liechtenstein
160 km², 28,476 inhabitants
Long-form name: Principality of Liechtenstein
Type: hereditary constitutional monarchy
Capital: Vaduz
Administrative divisions: 11 communes (gemeinden,
singular--gemeinde)
Constitution: 5 October 1921
Legal system: local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Executive branch: reigning prince, hereditary prince, head of
government, deputy head of government
Legislative branch: unicameral Diet (Landtag)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) for
criminal cases and Superior Court (Obergericht) for civil cases
Police structures
The Fürstlich Liechtensteinische Sicherheitskorps (Security Corps
of the Principality of Liechtenstein) is the country's national
police. In 1992 there were no women employed, but the management
plans to publish special advertisements for the next recruitment
in the hope that more women will apply.
The whole police corps is stationed in the Government Building
in Vaduz; there are no field offices. A 30-strong part-time
auxiliary force performs support duties at large manifestations,
during the summer season or for search & rescue operations.
Liechtenstein has no army. The corps itself is divided into three
sections: (A) General (patrols and public order policing; (B)
Criminal Investigations (including state security); (C) Traffic
Police. Each section is headed by a Feldwebel (sergeant major).
There is close cooperation with the Swiss authorities, and police
recruits and personnel are mainly trained in Switzerland and
Austria. Higher police training is usually in St Gallen (CH).
Police personnel usually carry a 9 mm pistol; for special
occasions carbines or SMGs are available.
The courts are largely modelled on the Austrian rules and the
Liechtenstein lay judges are complemented with Austrian and Swiss
lawyers.
Source: Statewatch database on the WWW