Law Enforcement in the Czech Republic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Law Enforcement in the Czech Republic - Essay Example The total area of Czech Republic is 78,844 square km and the population is 10.5 million. It is surrounded by Poland, Austria, Slovakia and Germany and also occupies the historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia and a small area of Silesia. The people of Czech Republic are Slavic people who are from central and Eastern Europe but their culture and tradition connects them to the West. Czech Republic is a democratic country and the bicameral Parliament, that includes the House of Representatives and the Senate, acts as the central body in the political system. The head of the state is the President with limited powers and is elected for five years. The President holds some important legal powers such as the appointment of the Prime Minister and members of the government, selection for the members of Czech National Bank Board and the official signing authority (Czech Republic Country Brief, 2007). General: In Czech Republic the Justice system consists of 86 District Courts, 8 Regional Courts, 2 High Courts and a Supreme Court. The highest judicial authority in the country is the Constitutional Court which is situated in Brno. Its major activities do not include dealing with criminal cases. Prosecution: The formation of the State Prosecutor's Office entirely follows the courts. Prosecution is brought by the State Prosecutor's Office. The courts completely handle the operations of the office. Police Force The total number of police force in Czech Republic is approximately 47,400 officers and 11,600 civilian staff. They are responsible for the security of its people and investigation of all crimes that took place in the country. In addition to the state police, there is municipal police that controls the traffic and public order in their particular municipalities. The right to investigate and arrest only lies with the state police. Police officers of Czech Republic are allowed to use vehicles. Their vehicles contain a black and white inscription "Policie" on the sides. These vehicles are white in color with horizontal green strips on the sides. Police force of Czech Republic possesses the following rights: 1. Demand for testimony in case of any accident. 2. Demand for personal identification. 3. Taking a person into custody. 4. Supervising the traffic and checking the conditions of the vehicles. Czech Police departments Criminal police: In the police department of Czech Republic, the officers monitor the criminal cases. Moreover, they detect the wrong doers and take them under their custody. The criminal police force is also responsible for the investigation of different cases regarding stolen properties, missing people, road accidents etc. They continuously look after the people and places in order to safeguard the lives of the citizens (Czech Republic, 2007). Traffic police: By law the traffic police officers are there to organize and control the movement of the traffic. In addition to it, they have to be really careful about the investigations made on the roads regarding accidents that happen almost every day. They are further required to check the procedures of collecting fines for illegal acts. When a driver commits an offense then the traffic police officer has the right to stop him from driving and take the car into his custody with some