| dc.description.abstract | In this article, the authors presented the results of surveys conducted in the form of expert
interviews, which were answered by officers of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Krakow.
Those officers have extensive knowledge about hooliganism and have ongoing and constant
contact with this subculture while on duty. Examined policemen organize and implement
tasks aimed at preventing and combating hooliganism daily. During the interview, they have
answered open questions.
The conducted research shows that among criminal acts committed by the so-called “Scarfs”
crimes that carry a heavy burden of social danger are dominant. Therefore it is so important
to deeply investigate this environment by acquiring knowledge about groups of hooligans,
their gathering places, disruptions planned by them and determining routes and ways of
moving to mass events.
The research shows that in the region of Małopolska Police implements a number of preventive
projects cooperating with other entities in the area and creating local coalitions for security.
One of the most important activities is the governmental program “Safer Together”, which
is comprehensive and covers all areas of social life. The supplementation of this program,
addressed also to the communities at risk of hooligan subculture, is the action “I am a Fan by
a big F”, which task is to shape positive attitudes of young people participating in mass sport
events.
In addition to preventive programs, experts considered other effective preventive tools used
by the police in a goal of in combating crime among the hooligans. They recognized the use
of: accelerated proceedings, court bans on stadiums, electronic supervision, inspections of
people aimed at owning dangerous tools or counteracting the so-called “set-ups” or “entries”
to the residential areas.
Based on the results of the research, the authors formulated the most important, in their
opinion, recommendations that should contribute to increase the effectiveness of actions
aimed at prevention and combating hooliganism. They considered them to be:
– continuation of social prevention programs,
– creation within the Police ranks groups that specialize in investigating hooligan communities
– coordination of activities between police units that deal with hooligans in Poland, along
with improvement of international coordination,
– improvement of cooperation between Police and mass events organizering entities,
– better identification of hooligan environments through the use of various forms and
methods of operational work,
– acquiring personal sources among the hooligans, as well as applying operational control in
situations and through means provided in legal regulations.
According to the authors, the introduction of the proposed solutions will improve the safety,
not only of participants of mass sports events, but also inhabitants of big city agglomerations,
where hooliganism is one of the main determinants of public safety threats. | en |
