Le Forze di Sicurezza italiane ed i loro compiti
La più alta autorità della Pubblica Sicurezza è rappresentata dal Ministero dell’Interno, che coordina le forze di sicurezza che dipendono dal Dipartimento di Pubblica Sicurezza. Il Prefetto è l’autorità per quanto riguarda l’ordine pubblico a livello provinciale, ma a livello tecnico è poi il Questore che ha ai propri ordini il personale delle forze di polizia. Il sistema legale italiano prevede l’esistenza di forze dell’ordine sia militari che civili, così come forze dell’ordine locali.
CORPI CIVILI:
- La Polizia di Stato (ne fanno parte: la polizia postale, incaricata di combattere le frodi postali ed il crimine cibernetico, la municipale e la polizia ferroviaria), che dipende dal Ministero degli Interni, con funzioni di polizia amministrativa e giudiziaria. Il ruolo principale è quello di mantenere l’ordine pubblico e la sicurezza;
- La Polizia Penitenziaria, che dipende dal Ministero di Giustizia;
- I Corpi Nazionali dei Vigili del Fuoco, che dipendono dal Ministero degli Interni; in aggiunta allo spegnimento degli incendi, svolge anche funzioni di salvataggio e di difesa dei civili.
CORPI MILITARI:
- “Arma dei Carabinieri”, sotto il Ministero della Difesa, svolge varie funzioni: quello di forza armata (protegge il paese in caso di guerra), di polizia militare, giudiziaria, ambientale, amministrativa e preventiva.
- La polizia finanziaria “Guardia di Finanza” dipende dal Ministero dell’Economia e delle Finanze ed è specializzata in crimini finanziari, in valuta e reati riguardanti le tasse;
- A guardia della costa troviamo la “Guardia Costiera” (Corpi delle autorità portuali) è un corpo specializzato della Marina;
- In ultimo, forze di polizia locali e provinciali rappresentano un servizio di sicurezza fornito dalle autorità locali. Hanno giurisdizione sui territori comunali a cui appartengono. Posseggono inoltre funzioni amministrative di polizia (costruzioni, sanità, urbanistica, commerciale, ambientale), giudiziarie, di protezione civile e di sicurezza pubblica.
Aiutare nelle emergenze
Se volete denunciare un reato, potete contattare la polizia per telefono o recarvi direttamente alla più vicina stazione di polizia. È stata anche istituita una stazione di polizia on-line (www.commissariatodips.it) gestita dalla polizia postale.
La polizia può essere contattata per varie ragioni: per intentare causa da parte di coloro che si considerano vittime di un crimine e vogliono procedere di conseguenza e cioè richiedendo all’autorità di aprire un caso giudiziario; per fare una segnalazione, ovvero informare la polizia giudiziaria riguardo ad un crimine che può essere perseguito ex officio (violenza domestica, omicidio, lesioni personali, etc.).
Ogni dipartimento per le emergenze ha il proprio numero di telefono: 113 per la polizia di stato, 115 per i vigili del fuoco, 117 per la polizia finanziaria, 1530 per la guardia costiera e 118 per le emergenze sanitarie. Tutti i numeri d’emergenza sono gratuiti. È stato inoltre istituito il numero singolo d’emergenza 112, che sta progressivamente sostituendo i singoli numeri. In base al problema il cittadino può contattare il 112 e successivamente verrà reindirizzato al dipartimento che si occupa di quello specifico tipo di problematiche.
Applicazione della legge sulla strada – comportamento da tenere in caso di controllo stradale
Gli oggetti che obbligatoriamente devono essere tenuti sul veicolo in caso di controllo stradale sono:
- Seggiolini per i bambini (se state guidando con un bambino sotto i 12 anni o alto meno di un 1,50 metri)
- Giubbotto catarifrangente
- Catene da neve, se non avete equipaggiate le gomme da inverno
- Il triangolo di segnalazione come segnale mobile di pericolo.
I documenti obbligatori da avere sul veicolo sono:
- Patente di guida o foglio rosa (per coloro che stanno facendo il corso per ottenere la patente)
- Il libretto di circolazione
- Il bollo dell’assicurazione
In caso di incidente: prima di tutto è necessario fermarsi e nel caso ci siano dei feriti, prestare loro soccorso. Successivamente richiedere l’intervento della polizia e dell’ambulanza. Il triangolo di segnalazione deve essere posizionato ad almeno 50 metri dal luogo dell’incidente e visibile da almeno altri 100 metri. In un’area urbana non è obbligatorio.
Importante! In Italia dal 2016 l’uccisione di persone o il causare gravi lesioni in incidenti stradali prevede delle aggravanti in caso di condotta irresponsabile, come guida in stato di ebrezza, o utilizzo di telefono cellulare alla guida o superamento dei limiti di velocità.
In caso di incidente stradale con lievi danni è necessario:
- Segnalare il veicolo fermo
- Eliminare l’ostacolo alla circolazione se possibile
- Scambiarsi i dati e tutto il necessario per il risarcimento
Dopo un incidente o durante un controllo stradale, la polizia potrebbe effettuare un alcol-test o un test per l’assunzione di droghe al conducente. Sottoporsi al test è obbligatorio, rifiutarsi equivale ad un risultato positivo del test. I limiti per il tasso di alcol sono 0,5 g/l, per i neopatentati 0 g/l.
Per controllare il traffico stradale, la polizia effettua dei rilevamenti della velocità. Esistono apparecchi fissi e mobili.
Se si utilizza un veicolo sulle strade italiane è necessario osservare alcune regole che si applicano in particolare a veicoli operativi. È necessario lasciar passare le macchine della polizia, le ambulanze o i veicoli dei vigili del fuoco che abbiano le sirene ed i lampeggianti blu accesi ed accostare se non vi è abbastanza spazio sulla carreggiata. È necessario aggirare i blocchi stradali.
Interrogatorio alla stazione di polizia
Gli interrogatori non vengono di norma registrati, tranne che in eventuali ambiti criminali. Quando si effettua una denuncia è sempre necessario avere con sè un documento di riconoscimento valido (carta d’identità, passaporto).
Smarrimento o furto dei documenti
In caso di smarrimento del documento o di furto è necessario fare denuncia. Se siete stranieri, un interprete vi aiuterà.
Links utili e Fonti
Polizia di Stato: www.poliziadistato.it
Per gli indirizzi e gli orari d’apertura della polizia di Stato: https://questure.poliziadistato.it
Stazione di polizia on-line: www.commissariatodips.it
Carabinieri www.carabinieri.it
Ministero degli Interni: www.interno.gov.it
Ministero di Giustizia: www.giustizia.it
Police in Germany
- The German Police and Their Tasks
Germany’s internal security is overseen by 16 state police services, the Federal police and the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation. The Customs Criminal Investigation Office has police tasks
as well.
Tasks and powers of state and federal police are clearly defined and separated from each other.
The primary objectives of the Federal Police are to protect rail and air traffic, to guard the coasts, to protect the borders, to guard premises of the Federal Office for
the Protection of the Constitution and guarantee personal security.
The State Police Services consist of police officers in uniform, detectives and traffic police. They investigate criminal offences, fight crime, stave off dangers,
investigate accidents, search for missing persons and / or offenders, prevent crime as well as recruit and train future police officers.
In case of major events they rely on the Riot Police, who provide security for public gatherings and football games etc.
The Air Support Unit, the Dog Section, the Mounted Unit, the River Police and others are part of the State Police Service as well
The police cooperate with other public authorities, e.g. with the public order office, the youth welfare office, the foreign nationals office, the fire department, the rescue service, the courts
of law and pastoral care services.
- Help in Emergencies
You can contact the police calling 110. In case of a fire or other life-threatening situations (medical emergency) you should dial 112. The calls will be passed on to the fire department and the
medical emergency centre. The emergency numbers 110, 112 and 116117 are free of charge.
If you want to report an offence, you can contact the police
- by phone: emergency number 110 (in urgent emergencies) or the respective number of the local police station in charge
- online using an online form
- by mail, i.e. mailing the report to the local police station in charge
- in person (some police stations, especially in rural areas, have opening hours. Police stations in bigger towns are open 24 hours and always available)
- by emergency fax or text message if you have a hearing disability.
Questions asked in case of an emergency call:
- Where: exact location
- What: kind of the incident / emergency
- When: precise time when the incident happened
- How many: number of people involved (e.g. in a road traffic accident)
- Who: name of caller, address and phone number
The emergency call centre ends the call.
- Law enforcement on the road – behaviour on the road – traffic check
As a road user (driver of a passenger car or lorry) you have to have the following items with in your vehicle and present them in case of a check: warning triangle, warning vest and first-aid
kit. Apart from that you have to carry your: driving licence, ID card / passport / residence permit, and vehicle registration document. In case of an accident call the emergency number 110. You
have to set up a warning triangle about 50 – 150 m from the accident scene on the right-hand road side in order to warn other road users of the accident scene / obstruction.
If you have caused an accident, you need to call the police. Otherwise this is a case of failing to stop after an accident or hit and run. The police attending the accident scene are neutral and
impartial.
After an accident or during a traffic check the police may breathalyse you and / or conduct a drug test. The breath test is generally voluntary. If you do not agree to the test and the
police have further suspicions, a blood sample might be taken by a doctor. There are certain legal alcohol limits for drivers in Germany. The drug test can detect the kind of drug that
was consumed by testing your sweat and is also voluntary.
To control road traffic, the police conduct speed checks. There are stationary and mobile devices. All devices are calibrated.
If you use a vehicle on Germany’s roads, you have to comply with traffic rules applying especially to approaching operational vehicles. You have to yield for police cars, ambulances or fire
engines using sirens and blue lights and make way for them if there is not enough room on the road. You have to drive around road blockings. This rule also applies if the police block the road.
Not complying with police orders or resisting the police can lead to actions against you by the police.
You have to follow any requests and / or orders by the police – no matter whether they are given by male or female officers. The German police are not corrupt! Any attempt to bribe a police
officer will be prosecuted.
Near the German borders (within a range of 30 km to Germany’s external border) the police are entitled to check vehicles and persons at any time.
- Interview at a police station
If you want to report an offence or contact the police for a certain problem, you can do this personally at a police station. In rural areas you may reach police officers during opening hours
only. Police stations in bigger towns are available around the clock.
In case of an interview you need to produce a document to identify yourself. If items were stolen from you, you have to provide documents for starting a search. The interview itself can be
recorded, hand written or taken electronically. You do not receive a copy of the interview as it is part of the file for the investigation. If there are any language issues, an interpreter will be
called. German wording and instructions may be complicated and difficult to understand. If you are not sure you understand everything, you should ask the police officer for an explanation.
Useful Links:
- Saxon Police. Proactive Policing (German, partly En, Czech)
https://polizei.sachsen.de/de/4160.htm
- Saxon Police. What to do in the hazardous situations (German)
https://polizei.sachsen.de/de/1125.htm
- Saxon Police. Advice for victims and persons concerned:
English: https://polizei.sachsen.de/eng/23222.htm
- Saxon Police. Contact Point Migration/ Integration. Polizei Sachsen.:
Deutsch: https://www.polizei.sachsen.de/de/23258.htm
English: https://www.polizei.sachsen.de/eng/23258.htm
- Access to internet sites of different Police Forces in Germany (partly in different languages)
- http://www.polizist-werden.deFederal Office for Migration and Refugees (Ger, En, Ru, Turkish):
http://www.bamf.de/DE/Startseite/startseite-node.html
- Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (Ger, En, Fr)
https://www.bmjv.de/DE/Startseite/Startseite_node.html
- Project: „True colours”/ “Gesicht zeigen” (Ger, En)
Additional Phrases (B2-C1)
| German | English |
| Sie haben den vorgeschriebenen Sicherheitsgurt während der Fahrt nicht angelegt. Dies stellt eine Ordnungswidrigkeit dar. | You were not wearing the mandatory safety belt while driving. It is a misdemeanour/ regulatory offence/ infraction. |
| Sie haben …. (weitere Gründe für das Anhalten, z.B. Geschwindigkeitsüberschreitung) | (further possible reasons for pulling over e.g. speeding, tailgating etc.) |
| Da Sie Betroffene(r) im Ordnungswidrigkeitenverfahren sind, müssen Sie sich mir gegenüber zu dem Vorwurf nicht äußern. Haben Sie dies verstanden? | As a person concerned you do not need to comment on this accusation. Do you understand this? |
| Sie haben die Möglichkeit das Verwarngeld vor Ort zu bezahlen. Dann würden Sie von mir eine Quittung erhalten. Die Angelegenheit hätte sich dann hier vor Ort erledigt und gelangt nicht zur Bußgeldbehörde. |
You can pay the fine on the spot.
I would then give you a receipt and the matter would be settled without being reported to the Fixed Penalty Office.
|
| Wenn Sie den Betrag nicht bezahlen können, dann schicken wir eine Anzeige zum Ordnungsamt, welches Sie dann zur Zahlung des Betrages von 30,00 Euro auffordern wird. Sie können dann den Betrag überweisen. |
In case you cannot pay the fine on the spot, we would report the matter to the Public Order Authority which will then send you a notice to pay 30 Euros by bank transfer. |
| Auf der Quittung steht der Paragraf, wogegen Sie verstoßen haben, das Datum von heute, der Geldbetrag und meine Unterschrift. Haben Sie noch Fragen diesbezüglich? | On the receipt you would find information on the traffic code regulation you violated, today’s date, the amount and my signature. Do you have any other questions? |
Public order in Lithuania. In Lithuania, public order is ensured by the police, the Public Security Service, and the State Border Guard Service within
the border section.
Lithuanian police activities are coordinated and organised by the Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania. It is the central
body of the home affairs system, whose purpose is to organise and control police system activities to ensure personal, public security and public order. The Police Department is the linking and
leading part of the Lithuanian police system and has 16 subsidiary institutions located throughout Lithuania. In Lithuania, the police system consists of:
- The Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior, is a police institution that helps the Police Commissioner-General to formulate a police strategy and
monitor its implementation, as well as to organise and implement the management of territorial police institutions. - Territorial Police Bodies – Police Commissariats, which perform the functions assigned to them by law in the established territory.
- Police Vocational Education Institutions – Police Vocational Training Departments established by the Police Commissioner General to ensure the professional
development of police officers. Lithuanian Police School. - Specialised Police Offices – non-territorial police units that perform certain (special) police functions assigned to them by law: Aras – the Anti-Terrorist
Operations Team of the Lithuanian Police; Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau; Lithuanian Police Forensic Research Centre; Lithuanian Road Police Service.
Police investigate criminal activity, some administrative offenses and impose penalties for such offenses, and engage in crime prevention and solving. solving. Road police officers have the right
to stop vehicles in their function of ensuring road safety. Road traffic rules state that a motor vehicle (with the exception of mopeds, or motorcycles without a trailer), a tractor and a
self-propelled vehicle must be equipped with:
- emergency warning sign,
- both fire extinguishers and first-aid kits, as required by the technical requirements for motor vehicles and their trailers (1 kg extinguisher and one pharmacy set in the car),
- brightly coloured vest with reflective elements.
Public Security Service under the Ministry of the Interior – a permanent Lithuanian special institution whose aim is to restore and secure public order in an emergency
and emergency situations, protecting important property, and defending the country during war together with the armed forces.
State Border Guard Service under the Ministry of the Interior. The State Border Guard Service, as one of the institutions strengthening and ensuring national security, is
responsible for the protection of Lithuanian land and sea borders, border checks of arriving and departing persons at air, sea, and river ports as well as land border control posts.
The State Border Guard Service detects cases of illegal border crossing, and investigates and reveals other illegal acts at the state border.
The main objective of the activity is to maintain the established state border legal regime and to comply with the level of border control required by the country’s membership of the European
Union. The main priorities are the state borders with Belarus and Russia, the external borders of the European Union.
State border guards check the identity of persons and their right to enter the Schengen area; they may detain foreigners present illegally on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania for up to
48 hours; they also have the right to inspect vehicles in order to ensure there are no persons who do not have the right to enter the Schengen territory.
Help in case of disasterEmergency phone numbers in Lithuania are:
- general emergency number 112;
- firefighter 01; 101 (Omnitel); 011 (Bite GSM, Tele2);
- police 02; 102, 112 (Omnitel); 022 (Bite GSM, Tele2);
- ambulance 03; 103 (Omnitel); 033 (Bite GSM, Tele2).
When calling a general emergency call or other help centres, it is advisable to:
- not be afraid to call 112 in case of an accident ,
- choose (exit to) a location from which you can safely call 112,
- if you can, call 112 and speak to the answering operator yourself,
- dial only the following three digits on the keypad of your phone: 112 and press the dial key or dial 112 on the dial of your handset. No country, city, district or other
code is required to dial 112, - wait until the operator answers your call. Be patient. If you do not receive the answer after several rings, do not terminate the call and redial. Each of your repeated calls will be
treated as new and will be placed at the end of the call queue, which may increase the waiting time, - when you respond to an operator, introduce yourself and tell them briefly and clearly what happened to whom;
- specify the location (and the exact address if you know it,) and where emergency assistance is needed. If possible, explain to the operator how to find and access the
location. If a dangerous situation occurs elsewhere than where you are calling from, please specify the location of the event, - answer all the questions asked by the operator. Understand that accurate and clear answers to all your questions are necessary and help the operator to respond more accurately,
- follow the operator’s advice,· do not end the call until the operator tells you to do so,
- after you have finished the conversation, try not use the phone line from which you called if it is not essential. The operator may need to contact you to request additional information
regarding the situation or to provide you with additional advice, - if the situation at the location of the accident improves or worsens, call 112 again and report it.
Useful links:
Lithuanian police: http://policija.lrv.lt/
Electronic services of police in Lithuania: https://www.epolicija.lt/en/home
Road traffic safety: http://policija.lrv.lt/en/road-traffic-safety
Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Lithuania: https://vrm.lrv.lt/en/
Migration department under the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Lithuania:
https://www.migracija.lt/index.php?-1497548128
Information system of e-migration services: https://www.migracija.lt/index.php?-1368488178
Emergency help center information: http://www.112.lt/en/
The highest authority of Public Security is represented by the Ministry of the Interior which coordinates the security forces that depend on the Public Security Department. The Prefect is the
authority of provincial public security, but at a technical level it is the Quaestor who has the police force personnel at his disposal. The Italian legal system has military and civil security
forces as well as local security forces.
CIVILIAN BODIES:
- The State Police (within it: postal police responsible for the fight against postal fraud and cybercrime, traffic police and railway police), which is subordinate to the
Ministry of the Interior, with judicial and administrative police functions. The main task is the management of public order and security. - The Prison Officers, who are is subordinate to the Ministry of Justice.
- The National Fire Brigade Corps, which is subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior; in addition to firefighting, it has search and rescue functions as well as civil
defence.
MILITARY BODIES:
- “Arma dei Carabinieri”, under the Ministry of Defence, carries out functions of armed force (it defends the country in the event of war) of military police, judicial,
environmental, administrative and preventive police. - The financial police “Guardia di Finanza” is subordinate to the Minister of Economy and Finance, and it has expertise in currency, financial and tax offenses.
- The Coast Guard “Guardia Costiera” (Corps of the port authorities) is a specialised body of the Navy;
- Local and provincial police forces represent a security service provided by local authorities. They have jurisdiction over the municipal territory they belong to., They
also have administrative police functions (construction, health, urban, commercial, environmental), judicial, road, civil protection and public security functions.
Help in Emergencies
If you want to report an offence, you can contact the police by phone or by going directly to the nearest police station. An on-line police station (www.commissariatodips.it)
managed by the postal police has been set up.
The police can be contacted for different reasons: to file a lawsuit for those who consider themselves a victim of a crime and want to proceed with regard to it, that is, asking the authorities to
open a criminal case; to make a complaint, that is to inform the judicial police of the commission of a crime that can be prosecuted ex officio (domestic violence, homicide, personal injury, etc).
Each emergency department has its own phone number: 113 for the state police, 115 for the fire brigade, 117 for the financial police, 1530 for the coast guard and 118 for health emergencies. All
emergency numbers are free of charge. The single emergency number 112 has also been set up and will slowly replace the separate numbers. Regardless of the problem,citizens can contact 112 and then
they will be redirected to the department in responsible for their specific need.
Law enforcement on the road – behaviour on the road and traffic check
The mandatory items you must have in the car/ lorry in the event of a check are:
- car seats for children (if you are driving with a child under 12 or under 1.50 metres)
- reflective jacket
- snow chains, if you are not equipped with winter tyres
- a warning triangle as a mobile danger signal.
The mandatory documents to be held are:
- driving licence or learner’s permit (for new drivers or learners)
- vehicle registration documents
- proof of third party liability insurance.
In the event of an accident: first of all, the road user must stop and, if necessary, must provide assistance to injured people. Then, he/she must contact the police and ambulance services. A
warning triangle must be positioned at least 50 metres from the obstacle and be visible at least another 100 metres away..This is not mandatory in urban areas.
Important! Since 2016 in Italy, the criminal conviction of road killing aggravating circumstances is foreseenin case of serious injuries or death resulting from negligent conduct such as driving
while intoxicated or under the influence of other drugs, use of the mobile phone while driving and exceeding speed limits.
In the event of a traffic accident with minor damage, it is necessary to:
- signal the stationary vehicle
- remove the vehicle from flowing traffic if possible
- exchange general data as needed for damage compensation.
After an accident or during a traffic check the police may breathalyse the driver and / or conduct a drug test. The alcohol test is mandatory, the refusal is equivalent to driving while
intoxicated. There are certain legal alcohol limits for drivers in Italy. The limit of alcohol content is 0.5 g / l, for new drivers it is 0 g / l.
,The police conduct speed checks to control road traffic. There are stationary and mobile devices.
If you use a vehicle on Italian roads, you have to comply with traffic rules applying especially to approaching emergency service vehicles. You are required to yield for police cars, ambulances or
fire engines using sirens and blue lights and make way for them if there is not enough room on the road. You are required to drive around road block.
Interview at a police station
Interviews are usually not recorded, however they may be recorded, depending onthe severity of the crime. When registering a complaint, it is always necessary to have a valid identification
document (ID card or passport). In case of loss or theft of your documents, you are required to register a complaint. If you are a foreigner, an interpreter can help you.
Useful links and References
State police: www.poliziadistato.it
For addresses and opening hours of state police: https://questure.poliziadistato.it
On-line police station: www.commissariatodips.it
Carabinieri: www.carabinieri.it
Ministry of Interior: www.interno.gov.it
Ministry of Justice: www.giustizia.it
The highest authority public body in charge of national security and enforcing law and order in the Republic of Bulgaria is Ministry of Interior (MoI). Its structure consists of
general directorates, directorates, special forces (Special Counter-Terrorism Squadron), Police Academy, etc.:
General Directorate National Police (GDNP)
Specialised structure for prevention, interception, detection and investigation of crimes (with the exception of those that fall under organised crime activity). Part of the directorates and
functions relevant for modules of Vocal in Need project are within this structure:
- Department of Police Guard Forces – amongst their main duties are monitoring safety, maintaining public order as well as performing law enforcement and
crime prevention work for the protection of life and property of citizens. - Department of Traffic Police (popular in Bulgaria under the name Control of Automobile Transport) – main duties include overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance
on roads and highways. - Directorate Gendarmerie – a police force with military status responsible for securing important facilities and buildings, responding to riots, countering militant
threats, protecting the state’s borders, support fighting organised crime, etc. - In addition to these departments and directorates, National Police includes also Department of Criminal Police and Department of Economic Police.
General Directorate Border Police (GDBP)
Specialised structure with protective, preventive and investigative functions. Responsible for maintaining border controls at the points of entry and security along the land, sea and river
borders. With the migrant crisis, services of GDBP become extremely important not only for the country but also for the European Union since Bulgaria is one of the south borders of EU. The total
length of Bulgaria’s borders is 2,368 km. Of them, 1,225 km are external (with non-EU country) borders which amounts to more than half of the state borders. This
puts great significance on the effectiveness of the work of Border Police incl. operations connected with legal migration and measures (border patrol and surveillance) to prevent illegal migration
and human trafficking. Under Article 86 of the MoI regulations, Border Police can arrest migrants attempting to illegally cross the border and place them in specific detention premises.
Other general directorates in the structure of the MoI are: Combating Organized Crime and Fire Safety and Civil Protection.
Amongst 15 directorates in the MoI (incl. administrative ones for IDs, archives, etc.) the most relevant for Vocal in Need is Migration Directorate (MD). It’s a structure for
enforcing immigration policy in Bulgaria: regulation and control of the migration processes of foreigners residing in Bulgaria and for administrative service to EU citizens, citizens of states –
party to the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement and citizens of the Swiss Confederation, as well as members of their families.
MoI cooperates with the Ministry of Defense (within the Armed forces there is also a specialised structure Military Police) and when dealing with asylum seekers – with the
State Agency for Refugees (SAR).
Help in emergencies
Police can be contacted by phone or by going directly to the nearest police station (during working hours). If the case is not an emergency, the phone number of the local police station should be
used. In cases of emergency, the number to call is 112; the caller then gets redirected by operators to the appropriate emergency unit. Calling 112 is free of charge; the service
functions 24/7, is accessible from everywhere and the number can be dialled even from a locked phone. Besides Bulgarian, in most cases the other European working languages like English, German and
French, and sometimes even the languages of our neighbouring countries can be used. Following the decision of the Council of Ministers in 2010, the old emergency phone numbers: 150 – medical
emergency, 160 – police and 166 – fire department, are redirected to the unified number 112.
Questions asked in case of an emergency call:
- Where: exact location
- What: kind of the incident / emergency
- When: precise time when the incident happened
- How many: number of people involved (e.g. in a road traffic accident)
- Who: name of caller, address and phone number.
Guard Forces will be sent to the place of an incident in cases of reporting a crime, serious domestic arguments involving violence, complains about noise, etc. while Traffic Police will be sent to
places of traffic accidents.
Law enforcement on the road – behaviour on the road and traffic check
When stopping a driver on the road, police officers are required to wear uniforms (dark blue, with reflective vests and signs Traffic Police); be visible on the road (and not hide behind
bushes, billboards, curves, etc.); and have signs on the police car (usually in Bulgarian: Полиция or Пътна полиция). In Bulgaria, they usually stop vehicles by a stop baton.
Police should stop a driver only when they have a reason for that.
When stopped by the Traffic Police in Bulgaria, the driver is asked to show the following documents:
- ID
- valid driver’s license (with control points section that is mandatory for Bulgarian driver’s licences[3])
- car registration certificate (known as “little certificate” or “blue certificate” because of its color)
- certificate of liability insurance (for foreign vehicles – also international insurance such as green card)
- document for passed annual vehicle inspection.
The mandatory objects the vehicle needs to be equipped with in Bulgaria are:
- warning triangle
- fire extinguisher
- first-aid kit
- reflective vest.
In case of accident: first of all, the road user must stop and, if necessary, provide assistance to injured people (keeping in mind that in cases of serious injuries they are not supposed to be
moved). Then, he/she needs to call 112 where professionals will send the necessary specialists – police and, if needed, the ambulance. The warning triangle must be positioned at least 30 metres
from the obstacle in both directions (on highways this distance should be at least 100 metres).
In the event of a traffic accident with slight damages, it is necessary to:
- signal the stationary vehicle
- eliminate the obstacle and move it to the side of the road if possible
- exchange general data and what is needed for damage’s compensation.
After an accident or during a traffic check the police may breathalyse the driver and / or conduct a drug test. When required by the police officer, the tests are mandatory (in case of refusal the
driver’s license is taken away by the police and the individual is not allowed to sit back behind the wheel). The limit of alcohol content in Bulgaria is 0.5 g/l and above that various penalties
apply (withdrawal of control points, confiscating the drivers’ license or the section of the driver’s license with the control points, fines, etc.). A value between 0.5 g / l and 1.2 g /l is
considered an administrative offence while above 1.2 g /l is a crime and the individual will be accompanied by traffic police to a medical facility for a blood test.
To control road traffic, the police conduct speed checks. There are stationary and mobile devices.
Like in other countries, in Bulgaria drivers have to comply with certain traffic rules applying especially to approaching operational vehicles. They have to yield for police cars, ambulances or
fire engines using sirens and / or blue lights and make way for them if there is not enough room on the road.
The right of Police to check documents, perform a personal search, enter your home
In general, Police have the right to check IDs at any time on the street: in cases with minors at night, when suspecting that a person is involved in a crime, for foreigners – as a part of special
operations to check legality of their IDs and permissions to be in the country. Personal search is allowed only in cases they suspect an individual of a crime or possession of illegal or stolen
items. The check should be performed only by an individual of the same gender.
Police have the right to enter individual’s home only if they have a search warrant. Exceptions to this include cases where they suspect serious crime like hiding a criminal or drug possession (in
this case, a search warrant is still needed as a follow-up within 24 hours). After conducting a search, they are required to write a protocol and give a copy to the owner.
Useful links and References
Ministry of Interior: https://www.mvr.bg/
Ministry of Justice: http://www.justice.government.bg/
Chief Directorate Border Police // Project SMILE (SMart mobILity at the European land borders).
http://smile-h2020.eu/smile/chief-directorate-border-police/ (accessed 16/01/2019).
Ministry of Interior, Migration Directorate https://www.mvr.bg/migration
Traffic Police: https://mvr.bg/opp/начало
Borisova 2017. Infrastractural and Technical Aspects Ensuring Safety and Security. Bulgaria’s Experience with Border Management and Addressing Migration Crisis // The Republic of Bulgaria
Ministry of Interior. General Directorate Border Police.
http://eapmigrationpanel.org/sites/default/files/files/session_iii_borisova.pdf (accessed 16/01/2019).
Знаете ли какви са правата и задълженията Ви при проверка от КАТ? (in Bg) (Do you know what your rights and obligations are when Traffic Police stop you?
https://trafficnews.bg/ailiak/znaete-li-kakvi-sa-pravata-i-zadalzheniiata-vi-pri-53958/
(accessed 16/01/2019).
Правата ми при претърсване от полиция на обществено място: личен обиск (in Bg) (My rights when police perform a search on me at a public place: personal search): https://pravatami.bg/3728 (accessed 17/01/2019).
Полицията е пред вратата ми. Ами сега? Проверка, претърсване, обиск (in Bg) (Police are in front of my door. What now? Check, personal search, home search): https://pravatami.bg/44
(accessed 16/01/2019).
Да духна или да не духна в дрегера? Какво трябва да знам? (in Bg) (Should a blow or not in the breathalyser? What do I need to know?): https://pravatami.bg/4153/2
(accessed 17/01/2019).
Of these borders, 1,345 km are on land, 611 km are on the Danube river, and 412 km are on the Black sea. Here, the numbers are taken from the General Directorate of Border Patrol sources (e.g.
recently published material: http://eapmigrationpanel.org/sites/default/files/files/session_iii_borisova.pdf;
see References for full info). The numbers (incl. those in Wikipedia) slightly differ between sources.
c.f. http://www.juen.bg/pravilnik/ppzmvr–_2005_096_001.htm (in Bg) (1998; amended 2005).
Bulgaria seems to be the only EU country where the control points section phisically exists as part of the license and it’s mandatory to be carried by the driver at all times.
The highest authority of Public Security is the Ministry of Interior, which coordinates the law enforcements connected to Public Security Department. Public security is used by governor in cities
and district governor in districts. Turkish security system is provided by the police and night watchmen in city centers while in rural areas gendarmerie provides it. In addition to these, special
security personnel, who do not have the authority to bear arms, are assigned in cities and districts.
Security Units
Police Forces: They work in city centers. They are classified according to their particular duties such as School Police, Narcotic Police, Public Order Police and Traffic Police.
Criminal Execution Officers (Guardians): They work under the authority of Ministry of Justice.
Military Security Forces:
Military Border Security Personnel: They serve in borderland. Their one of the most important duties is preventing illegal border cross.
- Coast Guard: They are responsible for the cases that are likely to happen on the sea.
- Special Forces: They particularly serve to fight against terrorism.
Reporting Emergency Situations
In case there is a suspicious situation or you want to give information about an incident, you can report it to the police via e-mail, phone or by going to the police station. You can call 155 for
public security and 154 for traffic.
You can file an application in police station for different purposes. For example, people who consider themselves as a victim of any crime and want to report it or open a case can file an
application in police stations. You can make complaints by filling in an application form online.
In case of emergencies, individuals can report the situation by calling 155. This is a confidential number which is used to provide contact between police and individuals 24/7, to prevent crimes,
to help the criminal to be caught (if the crime is committed) and to relief the victim. In rural areas, the safety is provided by gendarmerie. 156 is a special number which is founded for citizens
to be able to report, complain, file an application and get help from the gendarmerie forces as soon as possible.
110 is used to report a fire. Fire brigades work under the authority of municipality. In order to report a situation related to health and call an ambulance, you have to call 112.
Equipment that you must have in a car:
- Child safety seat (if you travel with a child under 12)
- Tire chains, tow strap, reflector (Commercial vehicles have to be installed with winter tires)
Additional documents you must have in a car:
- Driving License
- Vehicle License
- Compulsory insurance (Voluntary Accident Insurance)
Suggested Links
Police report: (https://www.egm.gov.tr/Sayfalar/Ihbar.aspx)
Gendarmerie report: (http://www.jandarma.gov.tr/asayis/156_Jnd_imd_tel.htm)
Directorate General of Security: (https://www.egm.gov.tr/Sayfalar/Anasayfa.aspx)
Structure
The Federal Police is an armed, for the most part uniformed, civilian guard body of the Republic of Austria. It was formed in 2005 by the amalgamation of the previously independent
Bundesgendarmerie, Bundessicherheitswachekorps and Kriminalbeamtenkorps. In 2018, the number of civil servants was about 23,000.
The Federal Police is headed by the Ministry of the Interior and the security authorities assigned to it. In each of the nine Austrian states (Länder)there is a Regional Police Directorate
(Landespolizeidirektion). At the local level, the security agendas are carried out by district police commandos and police inspectorates which are subordinate to the district administrative
authorities (district governors or mayors).
Legal basis and powers
The most important legal bases for the work of the police are to be found above all in
- the Security Police Act (Sicherheitspolizeigesetz, SPG)
- the Code of Criminal Procedure (Strafprozessordnung, StPO)
- the Criminal Code (Strafgesetzbuch, StGB)
- various administrative laws
On this basis, the police are authorised:
- to ask for information
- to determine a person’s identity
- to impose restraining orders (also in case of domestic violence)
- enter and search premises (to the extent necessary to fulfil the obligation to provide assistance)
- to arrest persons
- to search persons in arrest or at major events
- to seize objects
- to claim property (e.g. motor vehicles of uninvolved third parties for the prosecution of a dangerous fugitive)
Police duties
The police inspectorates (PI) are entrusted with general executive tasks:
- Patrol and surveillance service
- Investigation and recognition service
- Traffic control
- Danger prevention
- – Exercise of the first general obligation to provide assistance, i.e. measures to prevent imminent danger to the life, health, freedom or property of persons, where appropriate in
cooperation with the rescue and fire services.
In addition to police inspectorates, there are a number of special units that perform special functions, such as
- State criminal investigation office (serious crime or supra-regional crime)
- Maritime and river police
- Alpine task forces
- Special operations command COBRA
- Immigration police and border control
Transparency
Since police powers can interfere with civil liberties, police officers are obliged to disclose their service number to the person affected by their official action upon request, provided that
this does not jeopardise the fulfilment of the police task. Normally, this is done by handing over a business card with the service number, the office and its telephone number. However, oral
transmission of the service number or showing of the service card is also permitted.
Police training
Men and women who wish to become police officers must go through a selection procedure for which the respective national police departments are responsible. Once the selection procedure has been
passed, the candidate undergoes 24 months of basic training, consisting of face-to-face training phases to impart basic theoretical and tactical knowledge as well as internships at police
stations. After passing the examination in front of a commission, one is transferred to the civil service with the rank of inspector.
Current trends
As a reaction to the reduced subjective feeling of security of many people, the initiative GEMEINSAM.SICHER (www.gemeinsamsicher.at) tries to implement
community policing principles: It seeks to compensate for the closure of some former police stations, especially in rural areas, through increased dialogue with local actors and the implementation
of specific local security measures.
Emergency numbers
https://www.polizei.gv.at/alle/notrufe.aspx
Structure and tasks of the police
The Austrian police system: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polizei_(%C3%96sterreich)
Federal Police: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundespolizei_(%C3%96sterreich)
State police departments: www.polizei.gv.at
Immigration police: https://www.bmi.gv.at/202/Fremdenpolizei_und_Grenzkontrolle/start.aspx
Federal Ministry of the Interior: https://www.bmi.gv.at/202/start.aspx
Simplified description of the Austrian police system for newly arrived migrants: https://www.demokratiewebstatt.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Parlament/DWS/Angekommen/Angekommen_18_-_Was_macht_die_Polizei.pdf
Information on professional careers in the police force
Job and application information, job advertisements: https://www.polizei.gv.at/wien/beruf/Berufsinformation/start.aspx
Initiative GEMEINSAM.SICHER
Security dialogue between citizens, communities and the police