THE POLICE (CIVIC MILITIA) IN POLAND ARE A HOMOGENEOUS, CENTRALIZED ARMED FORCE SUBORDINATE TO THE GOVERNMENT, MANDATED TO DEAL WITH COMMON CRIMINALITY. THE POSITION OF THE CIVIC MILITIA THUS DEFINED MAKES IT ORGANIZATIONALLY INDEPENDENT FROM LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANS. IT IS HEADQUARTERED IN WARSAW, WITH TERRITORIAL UNITS IN EACH ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION OF THE COUNTRY. THE MILITIA'S RESPONSIBILITIES CAN BE DIVIDED INTO TWO GENERAL CATEGORIES -- RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO THE WORK OF THE AGENCIES OF CRIMINAL PROSECUTION AND JUSTICE, AND THOSE BELONGING TO THE SPHERE OF STATE ADMINISTRATION. IN ALL THESE AREAS OF THE CIVIC MILITIA'S WORK, OTHER AGENCIES ARE INVOLVED. THE LEGAL AND FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE CIVIC MILITIA AND THESE AGENCIES ARE DESCRIBED. IN MAINTAINING PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY, THE CIVIC MILITIA'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE RELATED TO THOSE OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES, THE PEOPLE'S COUNCILS. ORGANIZATIONALLY, THE COOPERATION OF THE CIVIC MILITIA WITH THE PEOPLE'S COUNCILS IS FACILITATED BY THE PARTICIPATION OF THE CIVIC MILITIA'S OFFICERS IN THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE'S COUNCILS AND ITS SUBMISSION TO THE COUNCIL'S SESSIONS OF REPORTS ON THE STATE OF PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY IN A GIVEN TERRITORY. IN THE PROSECUTION OF OFFENCES, THE CIVIC MILITIA HAS A TWOFOLD FUNCTION -- THE EXERCISE OF INDEPENDENT POWERS IN DETECTING OFFENCES AND SAFEGUARDING THE COURSE OF THE PROCEEDINGS, AND SERVING AS AN AUXILIARY ORGAN OF THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE DURING THE COURSE OF PREPARATORY PROCEEDINGS. IN JUDICIAL AND EXECUTORY PROCEEDINGS, THE ACTIVITIES OF THE MILITIA CONSIST SOLELY OF IMPLEMENTING THE ORDERS OF THE COURT AND OTHER AGENCIES. CRIME PREVENTION IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE CIVIC MILITIA'S ACTIVITIES. THE COOPERATION OF THE CIVIC MILITIA WITH SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS OUTSIDE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN EFFECTING CRIME PREVENTION IS INFORMAL AND FLEXIBLE, DEPENDING ON THE SPHERE OF THE MILITIA'S ACTIVITIES. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)