MINISTRY OF

      U Poljskoj, koja je strogo centralizirana zemlja, regionalne policijske agencije u stvarnosti ne postoje, bar ne u oblicima u kojima su to u sjedinjenim Državma, Francuskoj, Njemačkoj ili Ujedinjenom Kraljevstvu. U Poljskoj, nacionalna policija POLICJA je direktno podređena centralnoj Vladi i iako operativna struktura poznaje regionalne komande po vojvodstvima, lokalne vlasti nemaju nikakav veći utjecaj na provođenje zakona, a kamo li na dnevne operacije policija u svojem vojvodstvu.

      As Poland is a largely centralised state, regional law enforcement agencies do not really exist in the way that they do in the United States, Canada, Germany or the UK. In Poland, the national police service Policja is directly responsible to the central government, and whilst it operates with an organisational structure that allows voivodeship commands to exist, the regional authorities do not have any major say in law enforcement policy, and cannot affect the day-to-day operations of their local force.

      Poljska granična straža (Straż Graniczna, skraćenica SG) je državna sigurnosna agencija sa zadatkom kontrole državnih granica Poljske. Služba je postojala za Druge Republike, od 1928. do 1939. godine te je ponovo uspostavljena u modernoj Trećoj Republici 1990., a slijedeće godine postaje i operativna. Ulogu Granične straže je u socijalističkoj Poljskoj, od 1945. do 1989. godine, vršila Granična vojska (Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza).

      The Polish Border Guard (Straż Graniczna, also abbreviated as SG) is a state security agency tasked with patrolling the Polish border. It existed in the Second Republic era from 1928 to 1939 and was reestablished in the modern-day Third Republic in 1990, going into operation the following year. During the communist era lasting from 1945 to 1989, the role of the border guard was carried out by the Border Guard Army (Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza).

      Straž Graniczna (Granična straža) obnovljena je u Trećoj poljskoj republici kao civilna služba policijskog tipa, aktom od 12. 10. 1990. i započela s radom 16. 05. 1991. Smatra se nasljednicom formacija Druge poljske republike Straž Graniczna i Korpus Ochrony Pogranicza (plus vojna baština Wojske Ochrony Pogranicza Narodne Republike), pa je stoga jedna od rjetkih policijskih snaga koja koristi činove u vojnom stilu (Vladin ured za zaštitu, Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego i Służba Więzienna također ih koriste također). Od 1. 05. 2004., dana kada je Poljska postala članicom Europske unije, Straż Graniczna izvršava svoju odgovornost da čuva i štiti poljsku i EU granicu.

      Straż Graniczna has been reestablished in the Third Polish Republic as a civil, police-type service, with the act of 12 October 1990 and began operations on 16 May 1991. It considers itself the successor to the Second Polish Republic formations of the Straż Graniczna and Korpus Ochrony Pogranicza (plus the military heritage of the Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza of the People's Republic), and thus is one of the only police styled forces to use military style ranks (the Government Protection Bureau, Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego and the Służba Więzienna also use them as well). From 1 May 2004, the day Poland became a member of the European Union, Straż Graniczna performs its responsibility to guard and protect both the Polish and EU borders.

      Da bi nekako potrli negativne efekte koje izaziva rad centralizirane policijske organizacije, kao što su „prelazak“ preko manjih kriminalnih radnji koje su značajne samo lokalnoj zajednici, dozvoljeno je lokalnim zajednicama da osnivaju svoje policije. Ove snage nemaju ovlasti privođenja (hapšenja) i ne nose oružje, ali imaju značajan broj ovlasti pomoću kojih osiguravaju javni red i mir. Lokalni policajci moraju u svojem radu tražiti suradnju nacionalne policije, a kako se ne bave kriminalističkim istragama provode samo lokalne zakone i mjesne propise.

      To counteract the effect of having a centrally controlled national police force, which could, it is argued, overlook minor criminal cases of only local importance, local communities are allowed to raise their own Municipal police forces, which despite not having the power to perform arrests or carry weapons, do retain a number of other powers by which to ensure public order. Failing the required effect of these powers, such municipal officers are also entitled to request the support of a member of the national police in detailing with their case. It should be noted however, that municipal forces cannot investigate criminal cases, and exist only to enforce local and national by-laws.