An increasing number of police officers are taking sick leave, while those who have not done so are forced to work additional hours to cover for their absent colleagues. According to unofficial information we received from police officers in Bolesławiec, several dozen officers from the county police headquarters are on sick leave. This leads to situations in which, for example, the entire county is patrolled at night by one or two patrol cars. In addition, Bolesławiec has had no detention facility for four years (it was closed by Sanepid because of inadequate sanitary conditions), so people suspected of crimes have to be transported to Złotoryja and Lubań. Zgorzelec also accepted such detainees, but stopped doing so in connection with the protest action. Each transport to a detention facility means a loss of an hour and a half for a patrol that is not present at that time in Bolesławiec or the county. Unfortunately, the Bolesławiec County Police Headquarters has not prepared any rooms for use as a detention facility for four years.
The protest action, endorsed by the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union of Police Officers, has been taking place throughout the country since July. As part of the protest, police officers issue warnings instead of fines, and recently an increasing number of officers have also been taking sick leave.
Police officers are demanding pay increases, paid overtime, the restoration of fully paid sick leave, the unfreezing of wage indexation, and changes to the pension system for officers. The ministry is promising money, but the police officers no longer believe these verbal assurances. They are demanding talks and concrete action.
Read the letter from the Chief Commander of the Police to female and male police officers.