From Monday police return to schools: patrols, backpack checks and talks with pupils

From Monday, 12 October, police officers will return to schools and their surroundings and will stay there until further notice. Patrols will be on duty on foot and in vehicles, enter school grounds and speak with staff and head teachers. People near schools will also be checked if their behaviour raises concern.

Officers may check backpacks if they consider it justified: for example, if a person looks suspicious or, in their view, is carrying a dangerous object. This was reported by Iwona Kijowska of the press office of the National Police Headquarters.

Police will also hold talks with pupils about the legal consequences of posting threats online. According to Kijowska, teenagers usually do not understand the consequences and think threats online are a joke. The talks are meant to show that this is not so. Most of those detained in recent days were held because of online posts, mainly in closed groups.