Obniżenie policjantowi nagrody rocznej w przypadku popełnienia przewinienia dyscyplinarnego stwierdzonego w prawomocnie zakończonym postępowaniu dyscyplinarnym

Public service is characterized by a number of restrictions. A police officer must submit to a special type of regime resulting from the character of the service he performs. He is obliged to perform binding orders and service commands issued by his superior. Non-performance or improper performance of orders and service commands may cause consequences of a service nature, i.e. disciplinary liability. Establishing during disciplinary proceedings that a police officer has violated service discipline or has not followed the rules of professional ethics may result in them being subjected to disciplinary punishment. However, there are also other consequences that may cause a violation of service discipline or non-compliance with the rules of professional ethics confirmed in the final ruling of disciplinary proceedings. One of these is the necessity of reducing the annual award given to a police officer. This paper is entirely devoted to the issues related to the legal structure of reducing the annual award based on Art. 110 (5) (2) Act on the Police. This issue is of significant importance for Police authorities obliged to apply the legal provisions of service pragmatics as well as for police officers themselves because causes consequences in the financial sphere of a police officer. Violation of service discipline established in the final ruling of disciplinary proceedings is the most common reason for the need to reduce a police officer’s annual award. The application of this legal institution requires establishing that the final ruling of disciplinary proceedings confirming the violation of service discipline or non-compliance with the rules of professional ethics by a police officer exists in legal circulation. Attention is focused on the prerequisite of reducing the annual award. It is also indicated which entity is obliged to issue a decision on reducing the annual award, and procedural issues related to this institution are discussed. Discussion of this matter is preceded by a discussion of the issues related to the institution of the annual award, because such a reduction may only take place if a police officer previously obtained a right to this award.