Crime control in the coal mining industry. In search of effective cooperation between coal mining companies and law enforcement agencies: the case of the joint-stock company polska grupa górnicza S.A.

The specificity of crimes related to the coal mining industry means that the importance of an effective and efficient flow of information between coal companies and law enforcement agencies is often pivotal to achieving success in investigation and prosecution. In the case of these crimes, the risk of misunderstanding technical issues related to the particularities of the coal mining sector is a serious impediment to successfully addressing violations of criminal law. The paper critically analyses and evaluates the current forms of cooperation between the largest coal mining company in the European Union, i.e., Polska Grupa Górnicza S.A. and law enforcement agencies. The article stresses the importance of the internal control system in detecting criminal activity inside the company, emphasising that the indepth knowledge and resources held by the internal control entity are, in principle, highly valuable sources of information to law enforcement agencies, and may be practically utilised to optimise as well as accelerate investigative and evidence-gathering procedures. The paper concludes with a claim that a proactive and participative approach of both law enforcement agencies and private business establishments is indicated in their interactions and helps them to achieve common goals. The author presents good practices in the area under study, and discusses potential improvements.