As we read on the website of the Nowogrodziec Municipal Office:

A letter signed by Antonina Szelechowicz, Chairwoman of the Nowogrodziec City Council, was sent to the Provincial Police Commander in Wrocław. It contained a request for an opinion on the dissolution of the Nowogrodziec Municipal Police. Importantly, the Mayor of Nowogrodziec had not been informed in advance of the intention to submit such a request—there had been no discussion or consultation on the matter between the chairwoman and Mayor Joanna Świder. It is also not known whether the councillors were aware of this or whether the matter had been discussed by the City Council committees.

The mayor learned that the letter had been sent only after it arrived at the office as a document addressed to the Provincial Police Commander. The situation raises legitimate doubts about communication and cooperation within the municipal authorities, especially since decisions of such importance for residents’ safety should be preceded by dialogue, analysis and a joint assessment of their consequences.

The office adds:

The bizarre coincidence is also that the chairwoman’s letter was sent at a time when:

  • At its most recent session, the City Council approved the transfer of funds to purchase an official vehicle for the Municipal Police,
  • while, at the same time, a new Municipal Police officer successfully completed training and passed the examination, obtaining full powers to serve.

And emphasizes:

On the one hand, development and investment measures are being taken for the unit; on the other, a request has emerged for its dissolution. This lack of consistency not only undermines the legitimacy of previous budget decisions, but may also lead to financial losses and destabilize the operation of the service responsible for order and safety in the municipality.

In response to the letter from the Chairwoman of the City Council, Mayor of Nowogrodziec Joanna Świder sent the Provincial Police Commander her own position, in which she addressed the allegations in detail and presented a substantive justification for the need for the Municipal Police to continue operating.

The Chairwoman’s Letter

Nowogrodziec, 7 October 2025


WAP.0004.23.2025.BR

Provincial Police Commander in Wrocław

Dear Commander,

I respectfully request, pursuant to Article 4 of the Act on Municipal Police Forces (consolidated text: Journal of Laws of 2021, item 1763), an opinion on the dissolution of the Nowogrodziec Municipal Police—the Municipality and City of Nowogrodziec.

I justify this request with the following arguments:

  1. insufficient financial resources to maintain the Municipal Police, resulting in limited effectiveness of its activities;

  2. high costs associated with purchasing and maintaining vehicles and personal protective equipment, uniforms and officers’ salaries;

  3. difficulty recruiting qualified employees, limiting the force’s ability to operate effectively;

  4. a low assessment of the Municipal Police’s work in residents’ eyes and a lack of full community trust;

  5. experience shows that cooperation with the police, including co-financing the purchase of police cars, produces measurable benefits in improving safety;

  6. the rise in crime, particularly among minors, and threats connected with the distribution and sale of drugs indicate the need to strengthen local police structures;

  7. for many months, the Municipal Police has not employed a commander in Nowogrodziec; the previous commander did not continue employment after working for less than several months.

In view of the above, I believe that strengthening the police formation at the local level is crucial to ensuring the safety of residents in our region. I believe that your opinion and any action in this area will contribute to improving the situation.

Yours sincerely,
Antonina Szelechowicz
Chairwoman of the City Council in Nowogrodziec

Position of Mayor of Nowogrodziec Joanna Świder addressed to the Provincial Police Commander in Wrocław concerning the operation of the Nowogrodziec Municipal Police

Nowogrodziec, 8 October 2025

KB.5522.1.2025

                                                                       Provincial Police Commander

                                                                       in Wrocław

Dear Commander,

In response to the letter from the Chairwoman of the Nowogrodziec City Council dated 7 October 2025, reference WAP.0004.23.2025.BR, concerning the request for an opinion on the dissolution of the Nowogrodziec Municipal Police, I present below the position of the Mayor of Nowogrodziec, together with a substantive response to the arguments presented.

Re. 1. Alleged lack of funds to maintain the Municipal Police

Funds for the operation of the Municipal Police were provided for in the draft budget for 2025, prepared by Mayor of Nowogrodziec Joanna Świder. They included, among other things, officers’ salaries, the purchase of equipment and supplies, and the purchase of an official vehicle.

Unfortunately, by a decision of councillors from the “Cooperation and Experience” Club, the funds were withdrawn and reallocated to other municipal tasks, including investments and purchases connected with the places of residence of some councillors. As a result, a financially artificial situation was created, which is now being used as an argument for dissolving the force. It is worth emphasizing that the measures planned in the draft budget were the

consequence of years of underfunding the force

, which until 2024 had operated in stagnation and with minimal resources. From May 2024, a process of gradual improvement in its financial and organizational situation began, but it was interrupted by decisions of the City Council.

Re. 2. High costs of maintenance and equipment purchases

The increase in the force’s operating costs was a natural consequence of

addressing years of neglect

in equipping the unit.The official vehicle has not yet been purchased, so it is impossible to speak of an increase in costs on that account. What is more, at the most recent City Council session, councillors from the “Cooperation and Experience” Club themselves approved the transfer of funds for the purchase of a car, while at the same time raising the argument of “high purchase costs” in their letter to the Commander, which is contradictory and internally inconsistent.
The funds for the purchase of the car came from fees for permits to sell alcoholic beverages, meaning they were earmarked funds, which under the law may be allocated to activities related to preventing and resolving alcohol-related problems. Using these funds to purchase an official vehicle falls within preventive objectives, as it enables officers to respond more effectively to cases of alcohol consumption in public places and to interventions in problem areas.

The allegation of “high salary costs” is also unfounded—the number of employees has not increased compared with previous years. There has only been a staff change, caused by one officer retiring and another being transferred to an administrative position.

Re. 3. Difficulties recruiting employees

In accordance with the direction of action set out in a City Council resolution at the beginning of the current term and with the Mayor of Nowogrodziec’s election programme, plans called for expanding the Municipal Police by adding officers (a commander and three Municipal Police officers).

Based on a comparison with municipalities of a similar population—for example, Bogatynia, where 18 municipal police officers serve—the three planned positions in Nowogrodziec were entirely reasonable. Two competitions were announced for positions as officers and commander, attracting candidates with experience in other units. However, the Council’s decision to

withdraw funding

for the force’s operation made it necessary to cancel the recruitment processes.

Unfavorable statements by the Chairwoman of the City Council and some councillors created among potential candidates a sense of uncertainty about job stability, which in practice made it difficult to fill the positions.

Re. 4. Allegedly low public assessment of the Municipal Police’s work

This opinion is untrue and hurtful to the current officers. Over the past year, the unit’s operation has undergone profound change—the officers have reached out to residents, begun actively cooperating with the Police and village councils, and become

recognizable and helpful

in the field. Contrary to previously widespread opinions, the Municipal Police has ceased to be an “instrument of pressure” and a “parking-meter service.” Today, the officers:

cooperate with the Police Station in Nowogrodziec, providing valuable information about offenses and crimes,

operate the
    municipal monitoring system
  • , which covers an increasingly larger area of the municipality,
  • intervene in cases involving illegal waste disposal, liquid waste,
    • missing sewer connections
  • and irregularities in waste management, take part in securing municipal events and preventive activities.
  • Dissolving the Municipal Police would require hiring new employees in municipal departments or outsourcing monitoring services to an external company, which would not generate savings, but would merely lengthen response times
    • in situations requiring intervention.

Re. 5. Cooperation with the Police

The Nowogrodziec Municipal Police has cooperated with the Police for years, supporting its operational and public-order activities.

The Municipal Office co-finances the purchase of police cars every year—funds were also allocated for this purpose in 2025.The close cooperation was demonstrated by organizing the District Police Day celebrations

in Nowogrodziec, confirming the mutual respect and effective cooperation of both formations.

The Municipal Police is not a competitor to the Police; on the contrary, it
complements its activities in prevention and responding to local offenses.

Re. 6. Rising juvenile crime and drug-related threats

While agreeing that rising juvenile crime is a serious problem, it should be noted that the Municipal Police plays an important role in preventive activities conducted jointly with the Police and schools.

Through direct contact with the local community and knowledge of youth environments, officers quickly identify sources of threats and pass information to the appropriate services. Strengthening rather than dissolving this force is a rational course of action.

Re. 7. Lack of a Municipal Police commander

The competition for the commander’s position ended last week— without a decision due to a lack of applications. The main reasons were the lack of guarantees concerning the force’s stability and the negative atmosphere surrounding the decision on its possible dissolution.

At the same time, one of the officers completed training and passed the examination to become a Municipal Police officer, opening the possibility of further strengthening the staff.

Stabilizing the organizational situation and a clear message from the City Council about continuing the Municipal Police’s work will allow for the rebuilding of trust and further development of the unit, which is an essential element of the local security system.

Summary

Dissolving the Nowogrodziec Municipal Police will not solve any of the problems presented; on the contrary, it will require:

hiring new people at the office to perform tasks currently carried out by the force,

incurring the costs of having the monitoring system operated by an external company,
  • reducing prevention and safety in the village councils,
  • lengthening response times to residents’ reports.
  • In view of the above, I request a negative opinion on the proposal to dissolve the Nowogrodziec Municipal Police and support for measures aimed at further strengthening this force.

                                                 

Mayor of Nowogrodziec

/-/ Joanna Świder