Municipal guards – problems, challenges and reform proposals

Abstract

For several years, the number of municipal guards has been decreasing. Over one hundred units have been disbanded in the last five years, which is one-sixth of their total number. On the one hand, there are many opinions that the existing formula has been exhausted, with some calling for the liquidation of the institution. On the other, it is argued that the guards should perform a broader range of tasks and that municipal polices should be created. Against the backdrop of these extreme positions, the guards’ most important reform in years has been designed, aiming to prevent further reduction of their number. The article presents a multi-faceted issue of the functioning of the force, specifying the most important problems and challenges it is currently facing. The analysis indicates that socio-cultural changes at the local level confirm the functionality of the guards.