The Polish Military Police is a separate, specialized service within the structures of the Polish Armed Forces.
Since 1990 the Military Police has been fulfilling its duties in accordance with the Order of the Minister of National Defense. The tasks and responsibilities of the MG were formulated in Article 16 of the "Act on Universal Duty of Defending the Republic of Poland". The Military Police consists of the MG Headquarters, 3 Specialized Units, 10 territorial branches, 2 detachments and 45 sections and the Training Centre.
The main tasks of the Military Police are focused on enforcement of military discipline, prevention of pathologies in the Polish Armed Forces, detection of crimes and offences, criminal investigations and prosecution of perpetrators. Very important role in this matter has the prevention department, which takes a great care in enforcement of military discipline. Prevention tasks are mainly carried out through patrols, convoys, traffic control and widely performed prophylactic measures.
Gendarmes appear wherever the Polish Armed Forces appear. The Military Police secures the deployment and field exercises of Polish and other NATO troops. They control the transport of military goods and dangerous materials, protect the national and military ceremonies. The Military Police provides help to the local communities and supports other services during natural disasters, catastrophes and technical breakdowns.
The formation cooperates with civilian institutions on the central and local levels, moreover it works together with the Police, Border Guard, Fire Department, General Customs Inspectorate, Main Inspectorate of Fiscal Control, Government Protection Office, Interior Security Agency. This cooperation also includes joint trainings and exercises. In the last years, by the decision of The Prime Minister, the Military Police possesses the police powers towards civilians during specific periods of time such as Christmas, New Year Eve, Easter, 1st November and during holidays. Gendarmes together with policemen take care of public safety.
In accordance with the Act from 2001, the Military Police is a military prosecution institution. Its task is to disclose crimes and offences committed by people who are under the jurisdiction of military courts. Among the main crimes which are commonly followed by the MG there are corruption, drug offences and breaking of law under the influence of alcohol. The sphere of tasks presented above is under control of the investigation department, which secures the crime scenes, collects evidence and performs forensic examinations and court activities.
The Military Police possesses its own vehicles adjusted to the various types of activities. Among them there are patrol and intervention vehicles like Dzik II, terrain-intervention commanding vehicle and Land-Rovers, mainly used during foreign missions.
The increase of organized crime and terrorism threat, active participation of the Polish Armed Forces in the international organizations, the need for the Military Police type forces capable of ensuring the public order in the sphere of peacekeeping and stabilization missions were the grounds for establishing the Military Police Specialized Units (MGSU). They are fully professional, specialized and prestigious units created to perform special military tasks. The Military Police has established three Specialized Units: in Warsaw, Gliwice and Mińsk Mazowiecki.
The Polish MG cooperates on permanent basis with the Military Police formations from different countries. The results of the extensive meetings conducted on various levels are undertakings like exercises, trainings, competitions. The Military Police established cooperation with the Military Police from: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States of America.
One of the greatest outcomes of the long lasting international cooperation was the formation in 2007 of the NATO Multinational Military Police Battalion. The Battalion consists of the MP from the Republic of Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Slovakia and the Republic of Poland. The most important task of the Battalion is to provide police support to NATO operations.
Since its creation, the Polish Military Police has participated in peacekeeping and stabilization missions as a part of the Polish Military Contingents. Its soldiers also served on individual positions in observers missions. Recently, there has been an increase - in quantity and quality - of the formation engagement in solving the world's conflicts. It is the effect of establishing the Military Police Specialized Units - professional units, prepared to take part in foreign missions. Currently, gendarmes are participating in the peacekeeping and stabilization missions in Afghanistan, Tchad, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Kosovo and Syria.

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