We want to be a partner of the people and showcase of Kladno, says the new head of police officers
He faces a clear task. To increase the sense of security of the inhabitants of the largest city in Central Bohemia and also the credit of police officers in the eyes of the public.
You have almost thirty years of police work. Why did you decide to exchange your police uniform for a police uniform?
There are moments in a person’s life when he decides where to move on. The moment when he balances with increasing age. For the past two years, I have begun to feel a desire for change. I wanted to direct my life a little differently. For example, I considered going to teach, but I received a Positive Offer, which is not rejected.
What position did you leave with the state police?
Head of the Kladno District Department. It is one of the largest departments in the Central Bohemian Region and also one of the five busiest. Like all district department heads, I achieved the rank of lieutenant. The ranks of the city police are a bit specific, I don’t even know if I have one. I’m just holding on to the director’s contribution.
Try to recall a specific case from your police service.
I think that I managed to create a respected district in Kladno, where people who lived elsewhere also came with a request for help. They knew we would really focus on their announcement here. This was the case with a Ukrainian woman who was abused by her partner. She was really bad at it. She even wanted to commit suicide. Her situation has not been resolved for a long time by repeated calls to the police emergency line. She has never received significant help. On the advice of her friend, she turned directly to me. Although there were language barriers and she was a deeply religious woman who, after her experience, had a reluctance to communicate with men, she managed to talk after a few hours. was that the abuser had been expelled from her residence. Then she got a job and a new meaning to life. And then, after about a year, I was surprised to learn that I was nominated for an award for this case of domestic violence.
Michal Strieborný
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Did you not perceive the position of police officers as much as the second league?
I admit it. The city police have less power. It wasn’t until I was preparing for the officer’s exams that I had to take before I took office that I found out how many tasks and notices from citizens the officers had to deal with. So I corrected my opinion.
What new concept of work does the city police offer?
It cannot be said that the Kladno city police did not work. But it is important to focus on making people feel more secure not only at work or school, but also when they are heading for their leisure activities. It is necessary to build partnership, not mostly repressive, relations between the inhabitants of Kladno and the police officers.
Will there be more pedestrian patrols on the streets?
I’m not a big fan of pedestrian checks. Time is different. Patrols must be mobile, Kladno is a big city. The police officers have the necessary technology and equipment in the company car, they cannot carry those things “in their pockets”. I would like the patrol to have cars parked under the supervision of the city’s CCTV system, and the guards will move around the accessible area on foot for the necessary length of time.
How do you want to increase the prestige of police officers among the inhabitants of Kladno?
Further professional education, improvement of the corps and increase of the physical condition of the police officers are essential. The municipality’s management wants the municipal police to be the showcase of the city. Since the beginning of the year, we can recruit another fifteen police officers for service on the streets. The city has also added wages to us, so we are above the Kladno average. And maybe our police officers have more money on their payrolls than in Prague … That’s why I’m expecting a higher interest in work, which will allow us to choose the best candidates.
Have you made any specific changes to the church yet?
They concern, for example, the shift transfer system. The patrols are not going to end at the same time (eg one at 4 pm, the other at 5 pm, etc.). Until now, it often happened that they started dealing with an issue an hour before the end of the shift and then they had to finish their responsibilities when they had to go home and devote themselves to family, hobbies … This way, work will affect their personal lives less. Regular training and practical courses are also new. Each member of the city police will theoretically and physically improve twice a week, always the first hour after entering the service. So far, it’s been once a month. I hope that the police will gain a lot of knowledge that will increase their self-confidence and prestige in the eyes of citizens. And of course, their physical condition will also improve.
Do you miss any specialists?
My wish is to increase the number of service cynologists to four so that they are in all shifts. There are currently two handlers here.
A wave of omicron is coming at us. How are you preparing? Will the guards not disappear from the streets?
We are not canceling the planned holidays yet. Anyone who has ever worked for the police knows how people in the security forces work, what their sense of responsibility and professional pride are. It is normal that if a police officer is missing somewhere, another will cancel his leave and take his place. Of course, we are used to reacting quickly to the situation.
So what can the people of Kladno expect in the coming months?
More empathy, knowledge and self-confidence of police officers, which will increase their prestige with the public. And not only repression and handing out fines, but also a greater emphasis on helping people. For example, when crossing the road or starting the car in the cold. We want to be a partner to people. This is my vision of a 21st century guard.