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    The City Guard has gained new powers. What does the Ministerial decree change?

    Municipal Police officers have gained new powers. As of Monday, August 30, a decree of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration came into force, giving city guards new powers, including the power to issue criminal fines. What does this mean in practice?

    On Monday, August 30, regulation of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration came into force, which authorizes a municipal guard officer to issue a fine. The Ministry of the Interior assumed that the new powers, which were included in an ordinance dated July 30, 2021, are intended to improve safety in traffic and on sidewalks.

     

    For a few days, city guards can issue a fine for a pedestrian, cyclist or a person riding an electric scooter.  The ordinance prepared by the Ministry of Interior and Administration (MSWiA) gives the possibility to punish road traffic users by Municipal Police officers.

     

    It is worth noting that until Monday, August 30, municipal and city guards could not punish traffic users who broke the rules but only instruct lawbreakers. 

     

    The new regulation prepared by the Ministry of Interior and Administration assumes that municipal guards will be able to punish cyclists and people riding scooters with fines for speeding on the sidewalk.

     

    Excessive speed as defined by the new regulations contained in the Regulation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration may mean moving faster than a pedestrian on the sidewalk.

     

    Theoretically, the new powers for city guards, which came into force on Monday, 30 August, thanks to a decree by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, are supposed to improve safety on foot, on bicycles and pavements.

     

    In practice, this may look a little different than you might think. The City Warden will have a hard time proving to a cyclist that they are moving faster than a pedestrian.

     

    As reported by national news services – the new rules are expected to affect to a large extent the users of electric scooters, which in recent times have significantly increased, and the vast majority of them moves on the scooters without due caution.

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