Rendőrség

The Rendőrség is the national civil law enforcement agency of Hungary. Its name means "Order Guardian" in English. It was created in 1955 during a time when Hungary was called the Hungarian People's Republic.

From 1949 until 1989, Hungary went through big changes in how it was governed. During that time, the law enforcement agencies were used to control people and support the government. After big changes happened in 1989, Hungary moved toward democracy. This led to important changes in how the police and security worked, and by the early 2000s, new and modern systems were put in place.

History

Socialist Era (1949–1989)

The Rendőrség was Hungary’s main law enforcement agency. Its duties included preventing crime, investigating, and keeping public order. However, it was controlled by the government and officers were expected to support the ruling party’s ideas.

During this time, there was also a secret police called the ÁVH. It worked to stop people from disagreeing with the government, watched others, and used unfair methods. Many people did not like the ÁVH, especially during protests in 1956.

After these protests, the III/III Department took over some of these duties. It watched people inside the country, using many informants to keep an eye on others.

Transition Period (1989–1994)

When Hungary changed to a democracy in 1989–1990, its law enforcement changed too. The Rendőrség came under civilian control and was reorganized. The III/III Department and similar groups were closed. New laws were created to protect people’s rights and limit police powers.

Law Enforcement in the Early 2000s (1994–2006)

Headquarters of The Police in Budapest

By the early 2000s, Hungary’s police system looked more like other European countries, but there were still problems with trust and effectiveness.

The National Police Headquarters (ORFK) managed the police and had departments for serious crimes, human trafficking, cybercrime, and threats related to safety.

Special groups for fighting terrorism were not created until after 2006. The Counter Terrorism Centre (TEK) started in 2010, after protests in Budapest showed that the police needed better ways to handle big events.

2006 Protests and Policing Crisis

In 2006, large protests happened in Budapest after a leader admitted being dishonest. On October 23, 2006, police used too much force against peaceful people. This led to many complaints about the police and made people lose trust in them. The police changed after this, and new groups like TEK were created to help keep people safe.

The police are based in the capital but work in all areas of the country. They have special units for serious crimes, safety during big events, and protecting important people.

On July 1, 2010, the government created the Counter-terrorism Centre. In 2011, new groups were set up to help protect the country and its leaders. The Interior Ministry now controls all these groups.

On July 1, 2012, a group that protected government leaders was closed.

Agencies under the police

The Customs and Finance Guard is managed by the Ministry of Finance, which took over from the Tax and Financial Control Office and the National Tax and Customs Office (NAV.)

There is a special group called the Directorate-General for Crime inside NAV that looks into financial crimes.

Other important groups that help keep things safe include the Prisons Enforcement Agency, the Disaster Protection Agency, and the Parliamentary Guard. The Ministry of Interior oversees both the Counter-terrorism Center and the National Defense Service.

There is also a group called the Office for the Protection of the Constitution that works on secret tasks to find groups that might danger the country’s safety. They have also begun making arrests.

On January 1, 2008, the parliament made a change that combined the Border Guard with the National Police. The National Police then created the Border Police Department to watch over the country’s borders and stop people from entering illegally.

The Hungarian Emergency Police is the Riot Police Unit, and they help during big crowds to keep everyone safe.

Workforce statistics of selected law enforcement agencies

Mercedes-Benz B-Class Patrol Car

Ranks

Officers

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.

Others

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
*Rendőrség*	No equivalent																								No insignia
*Rendőrség*	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

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

Equipment

Current vehicles

Škoda Octavia III

Mercedes Sprinter III

Suzuki Grand Vitara

Opel Astra H

Retired vehicles

Some older cars that were used by the police in Hungary are no longer in service. These include models like the Lada 2101, Lada 2105, and Lada 2107. These vehicles have been replaced with newer ones.