Links between the police and underworld mar annual celebrations

The police celebrated its National Day on Saturday, but they have little reason to be happy, as news broke of criminal gangs that encompassed a number of officers. Last week, it was revealed that police from Radomsko (central Poland) were in collusion with a major gang involved in stealing luxury cars and robbing trucks by the roadside. "All those bringing shame on the uniform, must be eliminated without any questions," said Prime Minister Leszek Miller during the celebrations on Plac Pilsudskiego in Warsaw. Moreover, officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBS) from Zielona Gora have been accused of strange contacts with bandits. The case is being investigated by the police's own Interior Affairs Office. "The force must have clean hands," said chief of police Antoni Kowalczyk. Interior Affairs Minister, Krzysztof Janik has said that such officers would be eliminated, and added that 30-40 officers are dismissed each year due to bad conduct. (Rzeczpospolita, pp. A1, A4) M.M.