Officers carried out nearly 106,000 interventions involving people with mental disorders last year, up from 68,000 in 2020. Police also responded to more than 16,500 cases involving what they describe as unusual behavior, including incidents linked to the use of psychoactive substances that can leave individuals unresponsive to pain or police commands.
Deputy police chief Rafał Kochańczyk said such cases are among the most challenging officers face, as they often limit the effective use of physical force and require close coordination with emergency medical teams.
“That is why, for several years, we have run specialist courses for prevention officers on how to respond to unusual behavior,” he said.
Kochańczyk said 20,000 prevention officers received such training in 2025. The five-day course, repeated annually, covers the effectiveness of various coercive measures, first aid, recognizing symptoms of mental illness, and practical intervention exercises.
He said people under the influence of drugs may have difficulty communicating, ignore orders, and feel less pain, meaning tools such as batons or stun guns may not work as expected.
Police must still restrain such individuals when required by law, he said, adding that medical rescuers embedded with riot police units play an important role in these operations.
The growing pressure comes as the police training system faces capacity limits. Over the past two years, new training centers have opened in Lublin, Warsaw, Gdańsk, and Gniezno as part of efforts to expand capacity.
Kochańczyk said basic training remains essential, but more specialist courses are needed for officers already in service.
With training space limited, this year’s intake is expected to be capped at 3,800 recruits.
More than 8,500 people joined the force last year from about 30,000 applicants, with many candidates failing physical or psychological tests, he added.
olice carried out nearly 106,000 interventions involving people with mental disorders last year, up from 68,000 in 2020.
Officers also responded to more than 16,500 cases involving what police describe as unusual behavior, including after the use of psychoactive substances that can leave people unresponsive to pain or police commands.
Deputy police chief Rafał Kochańczyk said such cases are among the hardest officers face. He said they often limit the practical use of physical force and demand close coordination with emergency medical teams.
“That is why for several years we have run specialist courses for prevention officers on how to intervene and respond to unusual behavior,” he said.
Kochańczyk said 20,000 prevention officers received that training in 2025. The course lasts five days and is repeated every year. It covers the effectiveness of different coercive measures, first aid, recognition of symptoms of mental illness, and practical intervention exercises.
He said people under the influence of drugs may struggle to communicate, ignore orders, and feel less pain. In such situations, he said, a police baton or stun gun may not work as expected.
Kochańczyk said police must still restrain such individuals when required by law, but added that medical rescuers working within riot police units are an important part of these operations.
The growing pressure comes as the police training system faces capacity limits, and over the past two years, new police training centers have opened in Lublin, Warsaw, Gdańsk, and in Gniezno for the Poznań-based center, part of an effort to expand training capacity.
Kochańczyk said basic training remains essential, but police also need more specialist courses for officers already in service.
Because training space is limited, this year’s intake is expected to be capped at 3,800 recruits.
He said more than 8,500 people were admitted to the force last year from around 30,000 applicants, with many candidates failing physical or psychological tests.