NCJ Number
183572
Journal
Policing Volume: 23 Issue: 2 Dated: 2000 Pages: 194-217
Date Published
2000
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This paper analyzes and compares changes in the law enforcement agencies of Croatia and Poland during the last decade.
Abstract
During the last decade Croatia and Poland have undergone major political transformation from communist regimes to democratic forms of government. Although their police forces function within similar political frameworks, their operational agendas are somewhat different. Because of differences in social and economic environments, and the war in Croatia, the two police forces faced substantially different challenges. Despite dramatic changes--introducing police ranks, changing uniforms, prohibiting party affiliation, dismissing high-ranking police officials and closing the Academy of Internal Affairs--the Polish police find it more difficult to persuade citizens that they have really changed. In Croatia there was a clear separation between the old Yugoslav militia (the aggressor, associated with the communist regime) and the Croatian police (the defender, associated with the developing democratic regime). The article compares developments in Croatia and Poland in: (1) changing the philosophy and functions of the police; (2) organizational changes; (3) size of the police force; (4) personnel; (5) budget and salaries; (6) equipment; (7) education and training; and (8) public opinion. References