Law enforcement in Slovakia
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Law enforcement in Slovakia is divided among various agencies under the Slovak ministries of Interior, Justice, Traffic, Defense, Finance and local governments within the Republic.1 The Slovak Secret Service (Slovenská informačná služba) also lists among its tasks those usually reserved for the police force, for example fighting against organized crime and computer crime. Civil policing responsibilities are shared between the state and local level: in addition to the National Police Policajný zbor Slovenskej republiky, (Police Corps of the Slovak Republic) various municipal police forces exist. Other forces include the Military police, Railway police, Finance police, special forces units, and others.
Members of law enforcement agencies in Slovakia are known for poor performance, for example, in 2010 Slovak law enforcement agencies caused two high-profile international blunders, both times endangering an innocent person in the process (see Crime in Slovakia). The three most numerous crimes committed by law enforcement members are according to daily Pravda: corruption, obstruction of justice and overstepping their competences. Every Slovak citizen older than 15 years is obliged by law to carry the Slovak identity card at all times except very close to home, and be able to identify themselves to any of the numerous police forces.
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History
In 2010, Slovak police established for the first time plans for different criminal areas. In October 2011, police President Jaroslav Spišiak and Minister of Interior Daniel Lipšic announced that Slovak police satisfied the plans at 104,93 percent.2
Railway police
In 1918, the railways established its own security infrastructure, which at that time served only as a backup power for the police force. Armed men protecting the railways were established in 1935, their functioning was regulated by the law No. 86/1937 Zb from the year 1937, which also established the Armed guards units of the railways (Ozbrojených strážnych oddielov železníc). Later, in the 1950s, Public Security at the Railways (Verejná bezpečnosť na železnici) was created. Law No. 51/1964 Zb. establishes the Units of Armed and Fire protection of the Railways (Ozbrojená a požiarna ochrana železníc - OPOŽ) in 1964.
In the year 1967, under the OPOŽ units, an investigation service is established (bypassing other government structures). It was created by law No. 46/1967 Zb. After the fall of communism in 1989, Federal power ceases over the protection of the railway system in 1992.
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