NCJ Number
65063
Journal
Police Journal Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY-MARCH 1980) Pages: 20-29
Date Published
1980
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE HUNGARIAN POLICE SYSTEM IS EXAMINED IN RELATION TO THE COUNTRY'S COMMUNIST PRINCIPLES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, POLICE ORGANIZATION, POLICE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS.
Abstract
THE SOVIET UNION CONTROLS THE PHILOSOPHICAL, IDEOLOGICAL, AND LEGAL CONCEPTS OF STATE SECURITY, PUBLIC ORDER, AND PUBLIC SECURITY IN EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SUCH AS HUNGARY. THE OVERALL POLICING SYSTEM IN HUNGARY, BASED ON MARXIST-LENINIST DOCTRINES OF KEEPING LAW AND ORDER IN A SOCIALIST SOCIETY, IS ORGANIZED, STRUCTURED, AND PERFORMED TO CONTROL ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. ANTISOCIAL ACTS REQUIRING POLICE AND JUDICIAL INTERFERENCE ARE DEFINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH HUNGARY'S WRITTEN CONSTITUTION, THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF THE COUNTRY. THESE ACTS ARE CATEGORIZED IN TERMS OF CRIMINAL ACTS AND ARE LISTED IN THE PENAL CODE. LEGALLY, POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANS HAVE THE POWER TO QUESTION AND ESTABLISH A PERSON'S IDENTITY IN GENERAL AND FOR SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, TO QUESTION OR ARREST SUSPECTS, AND TO QUESTION WITNESSES. THESE ORGANS INCLUDE THE POLICE, THE BORDER GUARD, THE WORKERS' MILITIA, THE CUSTOMS CORPS, CONSTABLE OF THE ARMED CIVILIAN GUARD, THE PRISON GUARD, AND THE FIRE BRIGADE. PRIMARY POLICE FUNCTIONS INVOLVE PROTECTING STATE AND PUBLIC SECURITY. RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES ARE CARRIED OUT TO SATISFY TWO LEVELS OF PERSONNEL NEEDS: A LOWER LEVEL TO RECRUIT CANDIDATES AND TRAIN THEM TO BECOME POLICE AND WARRANT OFFICERS AND A HIGHER LEVEL TO RECRUIT CANDIDATES WHO WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME MEMBERS OF THE POLICE OFFICER CORPS. THE PENAL CODE AND PENAL PROCEEDINGS SPECIFY POLICE TASKS AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON PUBLIC SURVEILLANCE AND THE HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS. EFFORTS ARE MADE BY THE HUNGARIAN MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR TO IMPROVE POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS; THE IMAGE OF POLICE CANNOT BE TARNISHED IN ANY WAY BY THE MASS MEDIA. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)