Law enforcement in Hungary

Law enforcement in Hungary is divided into three main groups: the Police, the Border Guards, and the Customs and Excise Authority. Since 2006, the Police has been under the Ministry of Justice. This happened when the Ministry of Interior was reorganized to focus on municipalities and regional development.

Because Hungary joined the Schengen Treaty, the Police and Border Guards were combined into one national corps in January 2008. After this merger, the Border Guards became Police Officers. The Customs and Excise Authority still reports to the Ministry of Finance.

The main police headquarters is in Budapest, in the 13th District, and is known as the Police Palace. In February 2007, the headquarters was shot at with small arms, leaving bullet holes in the building, but no one was hurt.

Rendőrség (Police)

Main article: Rendőrség

The Hungarian Police is the main law enforcement group in Hungary. It is led by the National Commissioner of the Police and works under the Ministry of the Interior. The Police handles many jobs, like patrolling the streets, managing traffic, controlling borders, and investigating crimes. It has twenty regional units—one for the capital city, Budapest, and nineteen for the counties of Hungary. There are also two special units: the National Bureau of Investigation for serious crimes, and the Riot Police for supporting local police in big operations.

Terrorelhárítási Központ (Counter Terrorism Centre)

See also: Counter Terrorism Centre

The Counter Terrorism Centre is a special police group in Hungary that works all over the country. It was started in 2011 by the country’s leader, Viktor Orbán. This group helps stop dangerous activities and works with other police when needed. They also protect important leaders like the Hungarian prime minister and the Hungarian president, as well as important government buildings. The Centre collects information about groups or people who might cause trouble. Some people argue that this group is too close to the prime minister, but it has always worked to keep Hungary safe.

Nemzeti Védelmi Szolgálat (National Protective Service)

The National Protective Service is a special police force that works across all of Hungary. It focuses on stopping corruption among government officials. This means checking to make sure people in government are honest and not taking bribes. The service looks into both their public and private lives to see if there are any problems.

Some people criticize this service, but similar groups exist in many European Union countries. Because Hungary has had issues with corruption, having this service helps keep things fair. Since it started, there has been less corruption in public areas, including in law enforcement. The service follows strict rules to make sure it uses its powers properly.

Nemzetbiztonsági Szakszolgálat (National Security Service)

The National Security Service is one of Hungary's civilian secret services. It is directly controlled by the Minister of the Interior. This service helps the Police, judges, and other authorities by providing tools to gather information when needed. Today, its main focus is fighting organized crime, and its actions are carefully regulated by law.

Alkotmányvédelmi Hivatal (Constitution Protection Office)

See also: Constitution Protection Office (Hungary)

The Constitution Protection Office is Hungary’s main internal civilian secret service, led by the Minister of the Interior. It mainly focuses on organized crime and groups that may pose a threat, working closely with the Police and other law enforcement agencies. The officers can carry firearms but only for self-defense or to protect others, and they can only make arrests when police officers are nearby. Their main job is to gather important information.

Municipal police services

In Hungary, there are also local police forces that work in towns and cities. These officers are hired by the local government but follow rules set by the national police. They often wear blue uniforms like the national police and can help keep areas safe by stopping small problems and giving out fines. However, they usually do not carry weapons and are mainly focused on preventing crime. If they see something very serious, they call the national police for help. Some local police can have more powers and may carry weapons under strict rules, but they still call the national police for big crimes. There are also special rural police who help protect countryside areas.

Historical secret and other police organizations

Some important police groups in Hungary’s past included the Államvédelmi Osztály (ÁVO), also called the State Protection Department, the Államvédelmi Hatóság (ÁVH), known as the State Protection Authority, and the Csendőrség, or Gendarmes. These groups had special roles in keeping order and safety during their time.