Police of Poland facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Policja
Wordmark of Policja
Badge of Policja
Polish Police vessels flag
Agency overview
Formed	10 May 1990
Preceding agency	Milicja Obywatelska (Citizens' Militia)
Employees	150 500
Annual budget	12 billion PLN (2022)
Jurisdictional structure
National agency	PL
Operations jurisdiction	PL

Jurisdiction of the Policja
Constituting instruments	Act on the Policja, 1990, April 6 Order no. 2 of the Policja's Komendant Główny Policji (Policja Commander in Chief) of 17 January 2006 on the regulations of the Komenda Główna Policji (General Headquarters of Policja)
General nature	Civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Warsaw
Minister responsible	Mariusz Kamiński, Minister of Internal Affairs (Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnętrznych)
Agency executive	Inspector General of Police Jarosław Szymczyk, Komendant Główny Policji (Commander in Chief of Policja)
Policja Regional HQs	20 + 5 training centers
Website
Policja (English)

Policja (pronounced poh-LEET-syah) is the official name for the national police force in Poland. This name was used for the Polish police from 1918 to 1939. It was brought back in 1990. Today, about 100,000 officers and 25,000 civilian staff work for the Policja. They have different groups, like the Criminal Service, Traffic Police, and Prevention Service.

Many cities and villages in Poland also have their own local police, called Straż Miejska or Straż Gminna. These local guards help keep public order and road safety. However, they mostly deal with smaller issues. For serious crimes, they work with the main state police.

What Does "Policja" Mean?

A pair of uniformed officers of the Policja

The word Policja simply means Police in English.

An individual police officer is usually called a policjant. If it's a female officer, she might be called policjantka. These are common terms, not official ranks. A police station is known as Komenda Policji or Komisariat Policji. When talking to an officer, people often use polite terms like Pan (mister) or Pani (miss).

A Brief History of Polish Police

An officer of the State Police on traffic duty in Warsaw during German occupation, 1939

After Poland became independent again in 1919, it created a new national police force called the 'Polish State Police' (Policja Państwowa). This force was the main law enforcement agency until World War II began in 1939. Other groups, like the Border Guard, handled specific duties.

After World War II, Poland came under communist rule. The police force was renamed 'Milicja Obywatelska' (Citizen's Militia). This new name was supposed to show that the police served the people. However, in reality, the Milicja was often used by the government to control citizens. Many people did not like the Milicja because of how it acted during protests and other events.

When the communist government fell in Poland, the police system changed again. In 1990, the name 'Policja' was brought back. The new system was similar to the one before World War II.

Police Vehicles and Gear

Service vehicles of the Polish police in current (2009 onwards) livery, with a highways duty policeman in the new uniform (2009 onwards)

BMW 3 Series used as a patrol car for the Polish police, which entered service in 2019

Today, the Polish police use many different types of vehicles. Common cars include models from Kia (like the Cee'd), Škoda (like the Octavia), Ford Mondeo, Opel, Volkswagen, and Toyota. Older cars like the FSO Polonez are no longer used. Since joining the European Union, the police have bought many new vehicles to replace older ones. They also have many 4x4 vehicles and vans for different situations.

Since 2009, police cars have a new look: silver with a blue reflective stripe. This is similar to police cars in Germany. Before, they were dark blue with white doors and white stripes.

All uniformed police officers carry a firearm, handcuffs, and a personal radio. They also often have pepper spray to help control violent people without using deadly force.

Riot police, who handle large crowds or dangerous situations, wear special body armor, helmets, and shields. They might use less-lethal weapons like shotguns with rubber bullets, tear gas, or water cannons. Poland has strict rules about owning firearms, which helps keep gun crime low. This means police rarely need to use their guns.

Common Police Vehicles

The Polish Police use many different vehicles. Here are some of the most common ones:

Patrol Cars

Image	Name	Origin	Number	Note
Patrol cars
	Alfa Romeo 159	Italy	120	Marked
	BMW 320i	Germany	N/A	Marked

As of 2018, the most common patrol cars are:

Kia (Cee’d, Venga) - over 5,700 vehicles
Opel (Astra, Vectra, Corsa, Insignia, Mokka) – nearly 2,800 vehicles
Škoda (Octavia, Fabia, Superb, Rapid) – almost 1,000 vehicles
Hyundai (i30, i20, Elantra) – nearly 600 vehicles

Vans

As of 2018, the police use many vans, including:

Fiat (Ducato) – almost 1,900 vehicles
VW (Transporter, Crafter, Multivan, Caddy) – nearly 600 vehicles
Mercedes (Sprinter, Vito, Viano) – over 600 vehicles
Renault (Traffic, Master, Kangoo) – over 500 vehicles
Opel (Movano, Vivaro) – over 200 vehicles

Buses

Autosan
Iveco

Motorcycles

Yamaha FJR1300
Honda CB250
BMW K1200S
BMW F800ST
Triumph Tiger 1050
Honda CBF1000A

All-Terrain Vehicles (SUVs)

As of 2018, popular SUVs include:

Nissan (Pathfinder, Terrano, Patrol, X-Trail, Navara) – over 200 vehicles
Kia (Sorento, Sportage) – over 140 vehicles
Land Rover (Defender, Freelander) – nearly 90 vehicles
Mitsubishi (L200, Pajero) – over 120 vehicles
Toyota (Hilux, Land Cruiser, Rav) – nearly 50 vehicles

Aircraft

A PZL W-3 helicopter belonging to the Policja's Capital Command, based in Warsaw

Police station, Szczecin

Police station in Józefów

Kia Cee'd of Greater Poland Voivodeship police, Poznań

A Honda patrol bike of the traffic police.

Policja patrol boats on the Vistula in Warsaw

The Policja has 13 helicopters. They are based in different cities:

Kraków - 1 x PZL W-3 Sokół
Szczecin - 1 x PZL W-3 Sokół
Warsaw - 2 x Mil Mi-8, 2 x Bell 407, 1 x Bell 412, 3 x Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk S-70i variant
Łódź - 1 x Bell 206
Poznań - 1 x Bell 407
Wrocław - 1 x Bell 206

Some police units also have boats for patrolling rivers and lakes. The largest water units are on the Vistula river in Warsaw and in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, which has many lakes. Near the coast, the Policja works with the Polish Border Guard to patrol the sea.

The General Commander of the Policja

The General Commander is the highest-ranking officer in the Polish police force. This position is like a general in the Polish military. The commander's main office is the National Police Headquarters in Warsaw. This office helps manage all police activities across Poland.

The role of General Commander has existed in different forms throughout Polish history. The current office started in 1990. The commanders of today's Policja are seen as successors to the leaders of the pre-World War II State Police. However, the leaders of the communist-era Milicja Obywatelska are not considered part of this line.

One former General Commander, Marek Papała, was sadly killed in 1998. His murder is still being investigated by the Polish police.

Police Ranks

A chief inspector of the Policja in full parade uniform whilst making a speech

The Policja has a clear system of ranks, similar to a military.

Officers

Rank group	General/flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers
				Generals		Senior officers			Junior officers
Policja
	Generalny inspektor Policji	Nadinspektor	Inspektor	Młodszy inspektor	Podinspektor	Nadkomisarz	Komisarz	Podkomisarz
	Inspector general of police	Chief inspector	Inspector	Junior inspector	Deputy inspector	Chief commissioner	Commissioner	Deputy commissioner

Other Ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs							Enlisted
	Aspirants				Non-commissioned officers			Constables
Policja
	Aspirant sztabowy	Starszy aspirant	Aspirant	Młodszy aspirant	Sierżant sztabowy	Starszy sierżant	Sierżant	Starszy posterunkowy	Posterunkowy
	Staff aspirant	Senior aspirant	Aspirant	Junior aspirant	Staff sergeant	Senior sergeant	Sergeant	Senior constable	Constable

How the Policja is Organized

The cap badge of the Policja is common to all ranks and branches.

The Policja is divided into different services. Each region or city has its own police command with specialized groups. This helps the police focus on different types of situations and use expert knowledge. Besides these special groups, most officers work on patrol duty and general law enforcement.

Here are some of the main groups within the Policja:

Criminal Police (Policja Kryminalna) - They investigate and work to prevent serious crimes. This can include teams for anti-drug efforts or financial crime. They also have teams for crime scene investigation.
Preventative Police (Policja Prewencyjna) - These officers handle general law enforcement and patrol duties. This group also includes riot police.
Counter-terrorism Police (Policja Kontrterrorystyczna) - They handle special and high-risk operations.
Traffic Police (Policja Ruchu Drogowego) - They focus on road safety, directing traffic, and patrolling highways.
Logistical Support Police (Policja Wspomagająca) - This group provides support and technical help to other police units.
Police Aviation Service (Służba Lotnictwa Policji) - They provide air support, but not every police force has this unit.
Investigative Police (Policja Śledcza) - They investigate complex cases and prepare them for prosecutors.
Judicial Police (Policja Sądowa) - They protect courts, judges, and prosecutors. They also protect victims and suspects, and carry out court orders.
Maritime Police (Policja Wodna) - They patrol and pursue on water.

Service uniform sleeve insignia for uniformed officers
Branch	Criminal	Preventative	Traffic	Logistical Support	Special and Riot Branch	Judicial
Insignia

Anti-Terrorism Units

A riot police officer of the Preventative Police

The Policja has highly trained anti-terrorism units. The main national unit is called BOA KGP [pl] (Central Counter-terrorism Police Subunit). In each region, there are smaller units called SPAP (Samodzielny Pododdział Kontrterrorystyczny Policji), which means Independent Counter-terrorism Policja Subunit. These units handle dangerous arrests, search warrants, and hostage rescues.

These special units often train with similar police forces from other countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Germany. They also train with other Polish special forces.

Anti-terrorism officers of the Policja demonstrate their tactics at a Policja exhibition in Wolin.
A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter of the Policja in Kraków
SPKP uniform badge

International Work and Cooperation

Since 1990, the Policja has taken part in many international peacekeeping and police missions around the world. They have sent officers to missions in places like Liberia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan, Georgia, and Kosovo.

The Policja also works with international law enforcement groups like Europol and Interpol. Polish officers are a significant part of Europol's staff. This cooperation has grown even more since Poland joined the Schengen Agreement in 2007. This agreement allows for easier travel and police cooperation across borders in Europe. Because of this, Polish police work closely with police in Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Lithuania.

As a member of Interpol, the Polish police follow international arrest warrants and work with other countries' police forces through official channels. This cooperation has helped catch many dangerous criminals.

Police Organization in Poland

The Polish Police is a centralized force. This means it is organized under one main command in Warsaw. All officers are assigned to one of 17 regional or city commands. Some specialists work directly for the national commander.

The Mostowski Palace in Warsaw, headquarters of the Capital Police Command

Police vehicles parked outside the Wawel Castle in Kraków during the state funeral of president Kaczyński and his wife

A mounted police officer in Poznań, near the Adam Mickiewicz University

Regional Police Headquarters

Territorial Force		Seat
Voivodeship (or its part)	Unit	Seat
Greater Poland	Greater Poland Voivodeship Headquarters	Poznań
Kuyavian-Pomeranian	Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Headquarters	Bydgoszcz
Lesser Poland	Lesser Poland Voivodeship Headquarters	Kraków
Łódź	Łódź Voivodeship Headquarters	Łódź
Lower Silesian	Lower Silesian Voivodeship Headquarters	Wrocław
Lublin	Lublin Voivodeship Headquarters	Image:POL Lublin COA 1.svg Lublin
Lubusz	Lubusz Voivodeship Headquarters	Gorzów Wielkopolski
Masovian (Warsaw metro)	Capital Metropolitan Police Headquarters	Warsaw
Masovian (peripheral remainder)	Voivodeship Headquarters in Radom	Radom
Opole	Opole Voivodeship Headquarters	Image:POL Opole COA.svg Opole
Podlaskie	Podlaskie Voivodeship Headquarters	Białystok
Pomeranian	Pomeranian Voivodeship Headquarters	Gdańsk
Silesian	Silesian Voivodeship Headquarters	Katowice
Subcarpathian	Subcarpathian Voivodeship Headquarters	Rzeszów
Świętokrzyskie	Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Headquarters	Kielce
Warmian-Masurian	Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship Headquarters	Olsztyn
West Pomeranian	West Pomeranian Voivodeship Headquarters	Szczecin

Police Training Schools

Officer candidates arrive at the Polish Police Academy in Szczytno

The Policja has five training schools in Poland. Four of them are for new police recruits. The fifth is a higher education school for officers and senior officials. The four schools for recruits are in:

The main police training school is the Wyższa Szkoła Policji (Higher Police School) in Szczytno. This school trains officers and teaches them about criminal law, constitutional law, and economic law. They also learn modern policing skills, how to use weapons, and computer skills. This school works with other police academies around the world.

Special Police Units

The Policja Honor Guard

The company on 3 May Constitution Day.

The Representative Honor Guard Company (Polish: Kompania reprezentacyjna Policja) is the special ceremonial unit of the police. They perform public duties and drills for the police force and the President of Poland. They often participate in national events, like the annual National Independence Day ceremony in November.

The Policja Band

A group of musicians from the official Representative Band of the Policja

The Policja's official band started in 1968. Over time, it grew and became very skilled. The band has won many awards. They perform at national, religious, and state events. They have also played concerts in other countries like Denmark, Belgium, and Russia. The band plays many types of music, including marches and concert pieces. They often play for important national holidays, like 3rd May Constitution Day.

Public Trust in the Policja

People's trust in the Policja has grown a lot since 2001. In 2001, only 46% of people thought the police were doing a good job. By 2009, this number had risen to about 72%. This level of trust is similar to what is seen in other European Union countries.

Sometimes, the Policja receives criticism for how it handles law and order, especially from young people. This is often shown with acronyms like (C)HWDP and JP.