Editing Liechtenstein (section)

==Security and defence<span class="anchor" id="Security_and_defense"></span>==
{{Main article|Military history of Liechtenstein}}
[[File:Liechtenstein Police traffic instructor (Verkehrsinstruktion).jpg|thumb|Liechtenstein Police]]
The [[Law enforcement in Liechtenstein|Liechtenstein National Police]] is responsible for keeping order within the country. It consists of 87 field officers and 38 civilian staff, totaling 125 employees. All officers are equipped with [[small arms]]. The country has one of the world's lowest [[Crime statistics|crime rates]]. Liechtenstein's prison holds few, if any, inmates, and those with sentences over two years are transferred to [[Judiciary of Austria|Austrian jurisdiction]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liechtenstein {{!}} World Prison Brief |url=https://www.prisonstudies.org/country/liechtenstein |access-date=2023-04-29 |website=www.prisonstudies.org}}</ref> The Liechtenstein National Police maintains a trilateral treaty with Austria and Switzerland that enables close cross-border cooperation among the police forces of the three countries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liechtenstein – facts and figures |url=http://www.liechtenstein.li/en/pdf-fl-staat-aussenpolitik-finanzplatz-facts_and_figures_engl.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060107214519/http://www.liechtenstein.li/en/pdf-fl-staat-aussenpolitik-finanzplatz-facts_and_figures_engl.pdf |archive-date=7 January 2006 |access-date=2 May 2010}}. Office for Foreign Affairs of Liechtenstein.</ref>

Liechtenstein follows a policy of [[Neutrality (international relations)|neutrality]] and is one of the few [[List of countries without armed forces|countries in the world that maintain no military]] although its police force maintains a paramilitary force, the Princely Liechtenstein Security Corps, within the organisation that might act as its ''de facto'' army if an invasion of Liechtenstein ever occurred. The corps provides heavy backup for the National Police as well as Honor Guards at the Royal Palace and official functions. However, Liechtenstein can reinstate its military if deemed necessary.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

The army was abolished for financial reasons soon after the [[Austro-Prussian War of 1866]], in which Liechtenstein fielded an army of 80 men, although they were not involved in any fighting.<ref name=":9">{{cite journal |last1=Ospelt |first1=Joseph |date=1924 |title=Der 1866er Feldzug fürstlich leichtensteinischen Bundeskontingentes |url=https://eliechtensteinensia.li/viewer/toc/000056281/1/ |journal=Jahrbuch des Historischen Vereins für das Fürstentum Liechtenstein |volume=24 |access-date=20 December 2023}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last1=Frommelt |first1=Fabian |last2=Rupert |first2=Quaderer |date=31 December 2011 |title=Militär |url=https://historisches-lexikon.li/Militär |access-date=23 February 2024 |website=[[Historisches Lexikon des Fürstentums Liechtenstein]] |language=de}}</ref> No casualties were incurred; in fact, the unit numbered 81 upon return due to an Italian military liaison who accompanied the army back home.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liechtenstein |url=http://media.lonelyplanet.com/shop/pdfs/2143-Switzerland_-_Liechtenstein__Chapter_.pdf/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027091131/http://media.lonelyplanet.com/shop/pdfs/2143-Switzerland_-_Liechtenstein__Chapter_.pdf |archive-date=27 October 2011 |access-date=28 February 2020 |publisher=Lonely Planet Publications}}</ref> The demise of the [[German Confederation]] in that war freed Liechtenstein from its international obligation to maintain an army, and parliament seized this opportunity and refused to provide funding for one. The Prince objected, as such a move would leave the country defenceless, but relented on 12 February 1868 and disbanded the force.<ref name=":10" /> The last soldier to serve under the colours of Liechtenstein, [[Andreas Kieber]], died in 1939 at age 95.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Beattie |first=David |title=Liechtenstein: A Modern History |publisher=[[I.B. Tauris]] |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-85043-459-7 |location=London |page=30}}</ref>
<!-- Switzerland is NOT responsible for Liechtenstein's defence and no such bilateral agreement exists. Please read the relevant e-mails by the Embassies of Switzerland and Liechtenstein in Washington, D.C. for further information. These are available on the article's talk page: [[Talk:Liechtenstein/Defence Responsibility Emails]]

Please check the website of the Liechtenstein foreign service on bilateral relations with Switzerland at http://www.liechtenstein.li/en/eliechtenstein_main_sites/portal_fuerstentum_liechtenstein/fl-staat-staat/fl-staat-aussenpolitik/fl-staat-aussenpolitik-bilateral/fl-staat-aussenpolitik-bilateral-schweiz.htm -->

In 1985, the Swiss Army fired off shells during an exercise and mistakenly burned a patch of forest inside Liechtenstein. The incident was said to have been resolved "over a case of white wine".<ref name=Letzing /> In March 2007, a 170-man Swiss infantry unit got lost during a training exercise and inadvertently crossed {{convert|1.5|km|1|abbr=in}} into Liechtenstein. The accidental invasion ended when the unit realized their mistake and turned back.<ref>{{Cite news |last=CBC News |date=2 March 2007 |title=Not-so-precise Swiss army unit mistakenly invades Liechtenstein |publisher=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/not-so-precise-swiss-army-unit-mistakenly-invades-liechtenstein-1.658642 |access-date=18 September 2011}}</ref> The Swiss Army later informed Liechtenstein of the incursion and offered official apologies,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hamilton |first=Lindsay |date=3 March 2007 |title=Whoops! Swiss Accidentally Invade Liechtenstein |work=ABC News |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=2921407&page=1 |access-date=18 September 2011}}</ref> to which an internal ministry spokesperson responded, "No problem, these things happen."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brook |first=Benedict |date=24 March 2017 |title=Liechtenstein, the country that's so small it keeps being invaded by its bigger neighbour |publisher=news.com.au |url=http://www.news.com.au/travel/world-travel/europe/liechtenstein-the-country-thats-so-small-it-keeps-being-invaded-by-its-bigger-neighbour/news-story/08eee6f0d3dab6467c8c1dd8566c2514 |access-date=30 April 2018}}</ref>

On 20 September 2017, Liechtenstein signed the United Nations [[Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 July 2017 |title=Chapter XXVI: Disarmament&nbsp;– No. 9 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons |url=https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-9&chapter=26&clang=_en |publisher=United Nations Treaty Collection}}</ref>