"He doesn't have my consent." The police chief wrote a letter to the uniformed officers

Tension around the Constitutional Tribunal

Due to the political dispute around the Constitutional Tribunal, protests are underway in front of the institution's headquarters, including: circles opposed to the government. During one of the demonstrations, a policewoman was attacked and the woman was injured. During a search of the detainee, it turned out that he had a knife in his pocket.

After this intervention, a heated discussion broke out on social media. The Internet featured, among others: suggestions that it was the policewoman who allegedly provoked the incident. Finally, the police published the recording from the camera worn on the uniform of one of the policemen who intervened at that time.

"I do not consent to slandering police officers"

On Monday, a letter to officers was sent by the head of the Police Headquarters, General Insp. Marek Boroń, who emphasized that the wave of hatred that poured out on the Internet against the officers prompted him to speak out.

"I am particularly moved by the situation of a policewoman who, while performing her official duties, became the object of indiscriminate insults and public humiliation," wrote Gen. Insp. Boroń and assured: "I want you all to hear this clearly: as the Chief Commander of the Police, I stand behind each of you."

In a letter to officers, Boroń emphasized that "a policeman who puts on a uniform has the right to respect, protection of his dignity and good name."

"I do not agree to denigrate police officers who perform their duties diligently and with commitment. I also do not agree to online hatred being treated as something ordinary, inevitable or without consequences," said General Inspector. Boroń.

Boroń: I will ask the prosecutor's office to take action

The head of the Police Headquarters informed in a letter that he had instructed police lawyers to provide support to officers who decide to pursue protection of their rights, including through private indictments.

"I will also ask the prosecutor's office to take action and take a decisive response in cases where the rights of officers have been violated. Each case will be assessed individually, respecting the law and the jurisdiction of the authorities conducting the proceedings," he announced.

He added that it is not about limiting the right to express opinions or excluding the Police from social control. "It's about a clear line between criticism and an unlawful attack on a person and a public official," he added.

According to Gen. Insp. Boronia, "no policeman or policewoman should feel that they are alone in the face of such an attack."

"This also applies to those who experience hate online, where anonymity and apparent impunity often encourage them to cross borders," he noted.

"Every intervention must have a legal basis"

Gen. Insp. Boroń announced that policewomen will respond to violations of the law and perform their duties whenever circumstances and regulations require it.

"Pressure, aggression, threats or calls to refrain from official duties will not change this. No one can expect the Police to refrain from acting just because its intervention does not meet someone's expectations. It is our duty to guard the law and safety - consistently, impartially and in accordance with applicable regulations," he said.