Police of the Czech Republic

Policie České republiky
Abbreviation	PČR
Patch of the Policie České republiky.
Motto	Pomáhat a chránit
	To Help and to Protect
Agency overview
Formed	1991
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Map of Policie České republiky's jurisdiction.
Governing body	Ministry of Interior
General nature	Law enforcement Civilian agency
Operational structure
Headquarters	Police Headquarters
Agency executive	Petr Lessy, Policejní prezident / President of The Police
Website
Official website

The Police of the Czech Republic (Policie České Republiky) is a law enforcement agency of the Czech Republic, officially established as a police force on 15 July 1991 in the former Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. PČR's headquarters is located in Prague.

Police officer

History

The Police of the Czech Republic took over land management after the communist SNB in the Czech Republic with the exception of military police (provosts) who are part of the army. Members were recruited from the former communist SNB (National Security Corps), after passing a vetting "democratic" commission established after the Velvet Revolution in 1989 to eliminate from the police force communist ideologues and agents of the secret police (the Czech Republic's KGB equivalent). A similar procedure was also undertaken in the then-Slovak Republic. Some police officers were employed by a small federal police force, whose mandate expired on 31 December 1992. The police are in public-service work; their status in the Czech Republic armed security forces is that of a gendarmerie.

Jurisdiction

Mounted police

The Police of the Czech Republic has general jurisdiction in the investigation of misdemeanors and crimes. Its proceedings are overseen by an independent prosecutor, who can bring charges in criminal matters. It does not have jurisdiction in fields falling within the competence of other specialized bodies, such as the Customs service, military police, judicial guard or the Secret service. PČR is the main investigative body of the Ministry of the Interior. It should not be confused with the municipal police, which may be established by a municipality and which supervises public order and road safety; municipal police also have jurisdiction only over misdemeanours, and in criminal investigations may serve only in a supportive role for the state police.

Some crimes (such as terrorism) are being solved in co-operation with intelligence agencies such as BIS or ÚZSI.

Nationwide jurisdiction

• Prague Institute of Criminology
• Air Service
• National Anti-Drug Central
• Pyrotechnical Service
• Alien Police
• Agency for Documentation and Investigation of Communist Crimes
• Agency for Corruption and Financial Criminality
• Agency for Organized Crime
• Agency for Protection of the President of the Czech Republic
• Agency for Protection of State Officials
• Agency for Special Activities of Criminal Police
• Agency for Particular Activities of Criminal Police
• Rapid Response Unit

Police Škoda Octavia (old markings)

Police Škoda Octavia (new markings)

Regional jurisdiction

There are 14 regional headquarters, with jurisdictions covering the regions of the Czech Republic.

Equipment

Riot police

Anti-riot Tatra 815

As of 2011, the Police of the Czech Republic employs about 41,000 officers, with a ratio of about 45 officers per 10,000 population.^[1] Of these, about 3,500 are traffic-police officers.^[2]

Transport

Cars and motorcycles

• Škoda Fabia Combi (phased out)
• Škoda Octavia 1.6 (75 kW) and 1.8 (118 kW)
• Škoda Octavia RS 2.0 (147 kW)
• Ford Mondeo ST220 3.0 (166 kW)
• Volkswagen Passat VR6 3.6 (221 kW)
• VW Transporter 3.2 (173 kW) fitted as mobile offices
• Yamaha motorcycles (600 and 1300 ccm)

Yamaha motorcycle

Helicopters^[3]

Aircraft	Origin	Role	Versions	Registration	Number
Bell 412	United States	VIP transport, transport of material, rescue operations, air rescue service	Bell 412 HP	OK-BYN OK-BYO OK-BYQ	3
Bell 412	United States	Policing	Bell 412 EP	OK-BYP OK-BYR OK-BYS	3
Eurocopter EC135	European Union	Policing, air rescue service	EC 135 T2	OK-BYA OK-BYB OK-BYC OK-BYD[4] OK-BYE OK-BYF OK-BYG OK-BYH	8

Eurocopter EC135

Firearms

The following firearms are used by the Police of the Czech Republic:

Handguns

• CZ-75
  • CZ SP-01
  • CZ 75D PCR Compact
  • CZ P-01
  • CZ 2075 RAMI
  • CZ P-07 Duty
  • CZ 97B

Submachine guns

• CZ SCORPION EVO 3 A1^{[citation needed]}
• Vz skorpion

Carbines

• Sa vz. 58
• CZ-805 BREN (both Bren A1 and A2 variants)^{[citation needed]}

Sniper rifles

• CZ 700 (to be replaced by the CZ-750)

See also

• Law enforcement in the Czech Republic
• Crime in the Czech Republic

References

1. ^ "John: Počet policistů by měl nadále klesat". České noviny. http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/zpravy/john-pocet-policistu-by-mel-nadale-klesat/595671. Retrieved 2011-03-01. 
2. ^ "Ekonomická efektivnost - dopravní přestupky". policie.cz. http://www.policie.cz/clanek/ekonomicka-efektivnost-dopravni-prestupky.aspx. Retrieved 2011-03-01. 
3. ^ "Letecká služba Policie ČR". vrtulnik.cz. http://www.vrtulnik.cz/police/policie2.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-01. 
4. ^ Helicopter crashed on March 5, 2011, see planes.cz spotters