Economic growth in cities alongside with construction investment constitute a huge challenge for the Police, not only in terms of statutory duties but also from the point of view of communication, e.g. in case of procedures performed with the participation of foreigners. Vacancies and long-term sick leaves also constitute problems. In some Police stations, the representatives of the NMPT could hear accounts indicating that in crisis situations officers take sick leaves to be able to rest for some time. There are also units, located at a significant distance from the RDPs, in which detained persons are accommodated. In practice, the need to escort such individuals for many hours excludes officers from their duties that they would normally be performing in their precincts, which increases the workload of other policemen. That alarming staffing situation results in police officers being additionally overloaded with work, exhausted and frustrated by the lack of systemic solutions to this problem. Participation in training is frowned upon since it creates additional workload for remaining police officers. The staffing situation also affects the perception of their own profession by the officers themselves. It can be concluded from officers’ accounts that the profession of a policeman – due to remuneration, stress and the nature of work – has ceased to be an attractive one. The NMPT views the above situation as alarming. The appropriate staffing level may, namely, affect the quality of officers’ work, their professional capabilities, motivation and regime in relation to persons deprived of their liberty. Staff shortages create the risk of inappropriate behavior and facilitate occupational burnout. ☞It is essential to improve the staffing situation in the Police, so that police officers can perform their duties in a professional manner without running the risk of inappropriate conduct. SPT The Subcommittee is concerned about the observed staff shortages experienced by the Police in Poland. The number of vacancies may not be commensurate with the required number of employees. Salaries remain on a low level, which contributes to even bigger problems with recruiting new personnel. The STP recommends that Poland should perform an analysis of the number of employees required for the professional fulfilment of Police duties and offer compensation that corresponds with required qualification and tasks of that occupational group to ensure relevant motivation, as a general preventive measure52. 52 Cf. Report of the SPT visit to Poland, CAT/OP/POL/ROSP/1, Art. 42-43. Report of the Commissioner for Human Rights on the activities of the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture in Poland in 2019 31