For example, soldiers of the Military Gendarmerie will be able to identify and interrogate a suspected civilian and witness of the incident, and will have the right to act as a public prosecutor in military misconduct cases. This is only part of the changes that the draft amendment prepared by the MON assumes. The aim is to increase the effectiveness of formation and state security.
Military Police is simply a specialised formation, playing a key function in maintaining order and discipline in the armed forces. She's about to change. The Ministry of Defence has prepared a draft amendment to the Act on Formation Activities.
Changes are essential because, as the representatives of the MON emphasize, the Military Gendarmerie Act and the Military Orders have not been comprehensively revised for many years. ‘Thus changing threats, including for national safety and public order, including threats to of a terrorist and cyber nature, require adaptation of tactics and methods of operation of the Military Gendarmerie. The formation should have appropriate legal tools to be ready for any eventuality of events," they explained. According to the assumptions of the Żandarmeria project, it is not only to be a guardian of discipline in the military, but besides an essential component of the state safety system.
Not only in the army, but in discipline.
One of the most crucial changes is to extend the catalogue of people to whom the Military Police may take action. According to the project, the gendarmes will be able to control not only soldiers, but besides persons "co-operating with soldiers during the criminal act" and witnesses to specified acts. "Currently, if gendarmes are conducting proceedings, they cannot carry out all the activities themselves, for example, they do not have the right to collect full evidence in the form of evidence from civilians. In practice, this means that they cannot freely identify or interrogate specified persons," explained the representatives of the MON. fresh regulations are expected to change that.
The Military Gendarmerie will besides be able to take action against people who hinder MPs from working – for example erstwhile securing military and state events (also international). They will besides be able to intervene in the case of civilians carrying military equipment or weapons derived from a crime. To date, the gendarmes had to ask for the support of another services in specified situations.
Another change will be the ability to control those participating in public tenders and procurements for the military. This will enable the MPs to detect economical crimes more effectively, specified as bargaining collusion. Today, erstwhile the case does not concern soldiers or military personnel, but only includes representatives of companies applying for military contracts, the Zandarmeria has no right to act.
They will besides be able to check whether anyone has the right to wear uniforms and military signs. Currently, if individual dresses up in the applicable military uniform and appears outside the unit, the gendarmes cannot react. "Restriction of jurisdiction towards these persons constitutes an unnecessary burden on the Police and an unjustified extension of the law enforcement consequence to the offence. Therefore, the change is essential due to the fact that it will let us to respond to specified cases more quickly" - explained the representatives of the MON. The proposed provisions besides clarify the properties of the Military Gendarmerie towards soldiers of territorial military service carried out in rotation and disposition. The current formation powers do not apply to the latter.
Greater function in proceedings
The fresh rules are besides intended to strengthen the competence of "green berets" in criminal proceedings and offences. According to the proposals of the Żandarmeria, it will get the position of public prosecutor in cases of misconduct committed by persons who are in the jurisdiction of the formation. Today, for example, it does not have the right to impose fines for all military misconduct, which importantly prolongs the procedure. "And in the absence of a study by the commander of the soldier who committed the offence, it is frequently not at all punished," the representatives of the MON admit. The Military Police Department will be able to conduct its own investigations, which will velocity up investigations and court proceedings in the military.
I'm a police officer.
In order to better support the police in ensuring safety and order on the roads, the task envisages the extension of the Military Gendarmerie's traffic management powers. At present, gendarmes can only do so in circumstantial situations. e.g. when crossing military columns or lifesaving or property actions. After the changes they will be able to direct traffic in all situations that will require it. Like police officers, they will be able to give commands and signals to road traffic participants in any situation and to a full degree during the performance of their statutory tasks.
The task besides clarifies that gendarmes will be able to take circumstantial actions towards each associate of a road accident involving a vehicle of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland – regardless of whether it is the perpetrator or the victim. "It is about providing assistance to victims, temporary change of traffic organisation, securing traces, as well as checking activities towards participants of specified an event: checking documents, the powers held or stopping them" - explained the representatives of MON.
For the soldiers of the Warsaw University of Technology, an crucial proposal is the introduction of the alleged countertype of the law which excludes criminal liability for actions concerning, among others, controlled acquisition or acceptance or transportation of a property benefit. specified a solution is intended to defend the soldiers of the WTC from the charge of creating false evidence.
As the authors of the task emphasize, the amendment of the bill will not make additional costs for the MON budget, nor will it require an increase in the number of soldiers serving in the formation. The plans presume that the task will be adopted by the Council of Ministers in the first 4th of 2026.
Military Police Department and a safety and public order authority in the military. Its main tasks include providing military discipline, protecting military property, combating crime, as well as preventive action and supporting another services. It operates on the basis of the Act of August 24, 2001 on Military Gendarmerie and Military Orders.
