Respect for the work of law enforcement officers has been restored through hard effort, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated at a commissioning ceremony of Budapest's Public Services University on Sunday.
The sight of a uniform now evokes not fear but respect, he pointed out at the oath taking ceremony for new law enforcement officers which took place in the Buda Castle. He emphasised that the reform of law enforcement in 2010 occurred in response to calls from the public asking for police officers to be on the side of the victim at all times, and not the criminal. "In recent years the police force has been cleared of such issues," the Prime Minister stated, pointing out that if police officers do not enforce the law, then the work of legislators and judges is in vain.
Another public demand had been to increase the police presence so that it could be felt in even the smallest corner of the country, he added, emphasising that 3,500 new police officers had been recruited in order to achieve this. Prime Minister Orbán also highlighted the excellent relationship between the various law enforcement services, proving that Hungary can also count on their help with relation to both natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, such as the unexpected snowstorms last year.
Finally, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of creating a more predictable, planned career path for officers. The 166 officers who took the oath on Sunday will be working for the police force, the Hungarian Tax and Financial Control Administration and the National Directorate General for Disaster Management.
(Prime Minister's Office)
