Poland is to plough millions into its police force in order to encourage more people to join.

Interior Minister Joachim Brudziński said the country’s police force has 4,000 unfilled vacancies.

He added that from May 1 his ministry would allocate an additional PLN 150 million (EUR 36m, USD 45m) for salaries for new officers and those on the lowest pay.

Brudziński told public broadcaster Polish Radio that despite the large number of vacancies, entry requirements for aspiring policemen have not been lowered.

"Last year, out of 23,000 candidates only about 4,000 were accepted. We want the most competent people in the police, people with ideals, but these should be individuals who, due to their hard work, receive decent pay," he said.

Brudziński said that as part of a modernisation programme, by the end of 2020 the Polish police force would receive an additional PLN 6 billion for salaries.

(pk/gs)

Source: IAR