The Coordination of Local Action for Security, with Particular Focus on Crime Prevention

The "Coordination of Local Action for Security, with Particular Focus on Crime Prevention" research project is financed by the National Centre for Research and Development. The research commenced on the 30th of September 2010.

We invite you to familiarise yourself with the aim, significance, and methodology of our research. Please click on blue arrows for more information.

The Aim and Significance of the Project

» The Aim of the Project

Historically, the Police have had a leading role among the institutions responsible for security. Striving for improvement of security, coupled with the growing awareness of the Police limitations has led to seeking out new forms of action (primarily the growing importance of crime prevention), and to a growing number of partners that act to increase the feeling of security and security itself among the members of the public. In the past few years, the local government has proven to be one of the key partners in this area.

"Partnership" – described in the criminological and criminal policy literature as cooperation between all entities that by virtue of their profession, interests, competencies or resources (material, financial etc.) may/ are willing to/ought to (depending on legal framework of the relevant country) work for local security – became the key point of reference for the description of the current state of affairs and changes taking place. The creation of ‘local partnership for security' has led to a revision of rules governing the division of responsibility between the government, the police, and local self-government, and between public and private groups and institutions at the local level.

The currently prevailing European model of local crime prevention coordination is evolving from spontaneous voluntary activities to a legally defined, institutionalised form of community security partnership. Research conducted to date (mostly British) shows that such multi-service partnership may have a limited effectiveness. Therefore, at present some of the key research goals are seeking the optimal form of local partnership organisation, identification of the underlying causes of difficulties with the coordination of local action for security and ways to eliminate or alleviate such causes.

Therefore, the main goal of this research was an interdisciplinary (legal, sociological, criminological) analysis of the local action for security coordination methods employed in Poland, and their comparison to those of other European countries. The analysis covers: a diagnosis of the current state of affairs, explanation of the causes leading to choosing a particular form of coordination, the mechanisms of the chosen form of coordination and any difficulties arising from them, and the forecast of possible future developments. The research focused on the state of coordination of action for security in Poland. In this respect, the implementation of legal solutions became the subject of empirical studies. Particular attention was given to county security and order commissions, and an evaluation of their work.

In accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, points 15-16 of the County Self-Government Act, the county executes legally prescribed public supracounty tasks. Their scope involves, among others: public order and security, and prevention of any extraordinary threats to the lives and health of the people and the environment. The role of the county is not limited to preventing threats and reducing their number. The county should serve as an important focal point for coordination of all preventative and reactive actions within the bounds of the county. It should also organise cooperation of various county entities involved in actions to improve public order and security. For this reason, the County Self-Government Act prescribes the creation of county security and order commissions, detailing, among others, the ways and means of their cooperation with the Police and other services, inspections, and guards, as well as the county and communal organisational units performing tasks relating to public order and security, local government bodies , and associations, foundations, churches and other religious groups, and other organisations and institutions (a similar approach can be found in a white paper by the Ministry of the Interior "Funkcjonowanie komisji bezpieczeństwa i porządku, Wydawnictwo WSPol w Szczytnie, Szczytno 2008).

Apart from the goals set out in the Act and the literature, commissions' activities may be analysed from the perspective of countrywide security programmes, such as the currently enforced "Razem bezpieczniej" aiming at the reduction of crime and anti-social behaviour. The main drive of the programme is the reduction of the number of events and behaviours that cause general social objection and fear, and one of its priority goals is activation of partnerships of various entities working towards the improvement of public order and security. The programme allows voluntary participation of counties and municipalities. At the county level, the county starost should have the leading role as the chairman of the security and order commission. Therefore, the commission – as a group of experts working under the leadership of the starost – should serve as an inspiration in the field of public order and security in the county. However, in light of the laws regulating commission's activities, a commission is nothing more than an advisory body, and its task is to offer opinions. Because of this, conducting a practical evaluation of the level of coordination and the extent of cooperation between entities committed to providing security at the county level, and of the effectiveness of their actions was deemed necessary. This evaluation allowed for drawing conclusions regarding the practical functioning of county coordination of action for security and order, the obstacles it encounters in terms of systemic regulation, organisational, financial and other aspects, as well as the real level of effectiveness of its actions.

The main research question that arises from the above mentioned aim regards the expediency of appointing county security and order commissions, and in the broader sense – the role of the law and legally appointed institutions in creating an effective coordination of local action for security (particularly crime prevention). This general question has been supplemented by the following detailed questions regarding the role of entities legally responsible for crime prevention, particularly the Police and municipal guards, and the role of the country, local government and private organisations in coordination provision. Another important goal was describing the cases of effective creation of such cooperation, to serve as a source of best practices for the counties, and determination of the ways science can aid local crime prevention. 

» The Significance of the Project

The issue of local partnership for security and crime prevention coordination was a subject of numerous monographs and papers in the United States of America and many European countries. The subject was analysed from various perspectives, such as systemic, criminological, sociological, and even political-legal approach. There were also several thorough empirical studies conducted (mostly US and UK). The body of knowledge regarding this subject in the Polish environment looks rather different. The only research into security and order commissions in Poland conducted so far was an initial questionnaire study, the results of which were presented in a report prepared by the employees of WSPol in Szczytno. In terms of theoretical analysis, commissions featured in a minor way, mostly in works concerning the territorial government systems. Also, the problem of coordinating actions for local security and order has so far not been systematically elaborated on (some general remarks may be found in a few papers on crime prevention in Poland). Neither has there been any empirical research conducted in this respect. Therefore, when considering the dynamic development of other European countries, we may assess that the state of our knowledge regarding this matter is inadequate and to a substantial degree historical.

The research will not only serve an academic purpose, but will be equally relevant in a political and legal sense. The research will result in formulating guidelines for creating an optimal model of coordinating local action for security and order in Poland, focusing particularly on security and order commissions. The guidelines will be formulated on the basis of a critical analysis of the functioning of security and order commissions, current best practice analysis, and effective solutions adopted in other European countries.  

Research methodology

» First Stage

The empirical analysis commenced with the research of available material relating to the activities to all (379) county security and order commissions. Of particular interest were the annual reports on commissions' activities presented to county councils and published in county gazettes, as well as the county crime prevention and public security and order programmes (according to article 12, point 9b of the County Self-Government Act, the preparation of the project is commissions' statutory obligation). Contents analysis was conducted on reports from the years 2007-2009, as well as programmes in force at the time of the research.

» Second Stage

In order to obtain a complete picture of the research subject, the data collected at Stage One were supplemented and verified at the Second Stage of the empirical study, with the help of a Postal Questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent to the starosts (in rural counties) and presidents of cities with county rights. The selection of recipients was motivated by the fact that according to the County Self-Government Act they are chairing their county security and order commissions.

The primary purpose of the research procedures outlined above was to assess the level of involvement of each commission in the coordination and integration of local action for crime prevention. Therefore, the goal was to establish:

a)      If experts, or representatives of other groups and institutions concerned participate in commissions' activities relating to particular areas of prevention, or particular social issues;

b)      If planned activity relating to crime prevention involves integrated action of institutions responsible for security provision, institutions and organisations responsible for counteracting social pathologies and criminogenic phenomena, relatively – any entity interested in taking part in preventative measures (including members of the public);

c)      If the chairman of the commission exercises her right to appoint, as members of the commission, officers and employees of county services other than the Police, such as inspections, guards, and employees of other public administration bodies performing tasks related to public order and security in the county (Article 38a, paragraph 7);

d)     If commissions, when executing crime prevention tasks, cooperate with municipal governments of the county, associations, foundations, churches and other religious groups, and other organisations and institutions (article 38b, paragraph 2);

e)      If the activity in the field of coordination of local action for security is executed by entities other than the security and order commission.

» Third Stage

On the basis of summary reports from the three preceding stages and other available resources (mainly internet data, activities in the "Razem bezpieczniej" programme), 20 counties were identified as showing superior coordination of preventative action, executed by either the security and order commission, or other entities. Individuals showing the most activity in coordination actions were chosen from each of these counties. These individuals then underwent an in depth interview. Apart from this, a further 32 counties were randomly chosen form the remaining 359 (one municipal and one rural from each voivodeship), where three interviews were conducted.

The aim of the above described qualitative research was:

a)      to establish the causes for strong/weak effect commissions have on coordination of local preventative action and to prepare a list of problems involved in effective coordination of preventative action at the local level;

b)      to establish an opinion regarding the need for institutionalisation of local preventative actions in Poland;

c)      To collect opinions regarding the current local preventative activity coordination system and suggestions for its optimisation (including possible changes to the form and competences of security and order commissions).

An in-depth interdisciplinary theoretical reflexion regarding coordination and institutionalisation of local preventative activities and solutions adopted in other countries was conducted simultaneously with the study.