The vote was preceded by a lively discussion. SLD councillors criticised the idea of establishing the Municipal Police, accusing the applicants of insufficiently preparing the entire matter.
The opposition councillors’ criticism focused, among other things, on the insufficient number of officers and the overly short time allotted to organise the police force’s operations.
Supporters of establishing the Municipal Police cited many examples of officers working effectively in other cities. Among the advantages of operating the police force, they noted that it is an organisational unit of the municipality, meaning that it reports to the Mayor. They also emphasised that the force’s activities would contribute to greater compliance with public-order regulations and increase the city’s budget revenues.