Rendőrség

Police
Rendőrség
Police; Rendőrség
	Coat of arms of the Hungarian Police
Abbreviation	ORFK
Motto	Szolgálunk és Védünk; We Serve and Protect
Agency overview
Formed	1955 (Communist era); 1990 (Current)
Dissolved	1990 (Communist era)
Employees	39,207 (2018)
Annual budget	$50 million
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Hungary
Governing body	Ministry of home affairs
Operational structure
Headquarters	Budapest
Elected officer responsible	Sándor Pintér, Interior Minister;
Agency executive	Lieutenant General János Balogh, Police Commissioner;
Province Police Commands	20 Budapest ; Baranya ; Bács-Kiskun ; Békés ; Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén ; Csongrád-Csanád ; Fejér ; Győr-Moson-Sopron ; Hajdú-Bihar ; Heves ; Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok ; Komárom-Esztergom ; Nógrád ; Pest ; Somogy ; Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg ; Tolna ; Vas ; Veszprém ; Zala;
Website
	www.police.hu

The Rendőrség (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈrɛndøːrʃeːɡ] ^ⓘ, English: Police) is the national civil law enforcement agency of Hungary and is governed by the Interior Ministry. It was formerly established under the Hungarian People's Republic in 1955, formally known as the Magyar Népköztársaság Rendőrsége (English: Police of the Hungarian People's Republic).^[1]^[2]

History

Until 2006, the police operated under the authority of the Ministry of Interior. From 2006 to 2010, the Ministry of Justice and Law Enforcement was the governing body of the police, which absorbed the Border Guard on December 31, 2007.

Headquarters of The Police in Budapest

In 2010, the government reinstated the Interior Ministry.

The police have national headquarters in the capital but otherwise operate through its county commands. Other national bodies include the National Bureau of Investigation (modeled after the FBI), Counter-terrorism Centre (TEK, an elite commando of heavily armed officers), and KR (Riot police and Rapid Response Unit, Propaganda bureau a civil law enforcement agency).

On July 1, 2010, the government decided to set up the Counter-terrorism Center, which was responsible for preventing terrorist attacks, protecting government officials, and serving as an intelligence service. In 2011, the government established the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (AH), the Counter-terrorism Center, the National Security Service (NBSZ), and the National Defense Service (NVSZ). The Interior Ministry governs all of these new agencies.

On July 1, 2012, the government disbanded the Republican Regiment, which was responsible for protecting government officials.

Agencies under the police

The Customs and Finance Guard is under the control of the Ministry of National Economy, which is the successor for both the Tax and Financial Control Office and the National Tax and Customs Office (NAV.) The Directorate-General for Crime is a separate tax police within the NAV that investigates financial crimes. Other law enforcement agencies include the Prisons Enforcement Agency, the Disaster Protection Agency, and the Parliamentary Guard. The Ministry of Interior controls both the Counter-terrorism Center and the controversial National Defense Service. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution usually does secret investigations on organized crime groups that threaten national security. However, it is also starting to arrest people.

Former logo of the Border Guard

On January 1, 2008, the parliament passed an amendment that merged the Border Guard into the National Police and transferred Border Guard's property, vehicles, and other assets to the National Police. The National Police later established the Border Police Department, which secures the border by detecting and preventing illegal immigration.

Workforce statistics of selected law enforcement agencies

Organization	Employees
Police (Rendőrség)	44,923
Counter-terrorism Center (Terrorelhárítási Központ)	400–600
National Defense Service (Nemzeti Védelmi Szolgálat)	415
National Security Service (Nemzetbiztonsági Szakszolgálat)	~2000
Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Alkotmányvédelmi Hivatal)	~1200

Mercedes-Benz B-Class Patrol Car

Ranks

This picture shows a police officer in Budapest wearing a burgundy cap, which indicates his status as a member of the Rapid Response Unit (KR.) Members of this unit sometimes also wear a burgundy armband. The government usually uses the KR to restore civil order on the streets.

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
*Rendőrség*^[3]	No equivalent																								No insignia
*Rendőrség*^[3]	No equivalent				Altábornagy Lieutenant general		Vezérőrnagy Major general		Dandártábornok Brigadier general		Ezredes Colonel		Alezredes Lieutenant colonel		Őrnagy Major		Százados Captain		Főhadnagy First lieutenant			Hadnagy Second lieutenant			Honvédtisztjelölt

Others

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
*Rendőrség*^[3]																							No equivalent
*Rendőrség*^[3]	Főtörzszászlós Chief warrant officer						Törzszászlós Master warrant officer	Zászlós Warrant officer	Főtörzsőrmester Sergeant first class		Törzsőrmester Staff sergeant						Őrmester Sergeant						No equivalent