The purpose of the paper is to present the results of studies on the image of municipal police in the Polish daily
press. Two research questions were asked: (1) Do the press reports concerning municipal police actually focus on
the negative aspects of their functioning? and (2) Does the press provides the society with a false or incorrect
information about the tasks that might be performed by the municipal police?
Methods:
Using qualitative content analysis, examined were all the articles about the Polish municipal police, published in
2014 in the four most widely read polish national dailies (n = 328). Research contained two mainstream national
dailies (Gazeta Wyborcza, Rzeczpospolita) and two tabloid dailies (Fakt, Super Express).
Findings:
The studies confirmed the hypothesis that media contributes to the consolidation and development of the negative
stereotypes about Polish municipal police. No evidence was found for the media dissemination of false knowledge
about the competence of the municipal police. Tabloids demonstrated its disinformation.
Research limitations:
Given that the research was limited only to one year (2014) and to one medium – press the results should be treated
with caution. With the key role of the television and increasing role of the new media in creation the social
perception of crime and crime fighters (police, municipal police etc.) further studies concerning those media would
be needed.
Originality:
This paper shows the results of first studies of this subject in the relations to municipal police
