Organisation and activities of the criminal police in the interwar period. Selected aspects

The interwar period was a difficult one for the Polish state authorities. In parallel with the reconstruction of the Polish state and national identity, the foundations of Polish law were being laid. In a short interval, many significant organisational changes were taking place, which also included the State Police. During this period, the administrative apparatus in Poland was considerably streamlined, and efforts were also made to build its own model of internal organisation of the state. Between 1919 and 1939, the structures of the State Police were reorganised several times. Social, religious and nationality problems or cultural differences in the newly established statehood were among the indirect causes of crime. Accordingly, among other things, a criminal police force was established to combat it. The purpose of this article is to discuss its organisation and activities in the interwar period and to give the most important legal changes that took place for this formation. The author formulated the following research hypothesis: the reorganisation of the structures of the State Police was fundamental in terms of the organisation and activities of the criminal police. In the analysis, the dogmatic-legal method was used and, due to the time scope, also the historical-legal method.