Don's Diary

Thursday. There are some perks in attending a conference organised by 바카라사이트 police. As I emerge from 바카라사이트 umbilical corridor joining plane and airport at Warsaw, three Polish police officers whisk me through immigration to a waiting car. I am on my way to Wroclaw to attend an international conference on policewomen. I had not appreciated that 바카라사이트 venue is a six-and-a-half hour train ride from 바카라사이트 capital. One of my chaperones speaks English and advises against giving money to 바카라사이트 Romanian beggars at 바카라사이트 station because it is widely believed that 바카라사이트 unfortunate begging women or boys are run in Faginesque fashion.

The landscape from 바카라사이트 train is drained of colour, 바카라사이트 only splashes of reds and yellows provided by flowers in little cemeteries fringing 바카라사이트 villages. The buildings are grey or sand-coloured, covered in a moss verdigris. Conversation is limited as we have lost 바카라사이트 English speaker but I am offered coffee in 바카라사이트 buffet car. I refuse what I think is sugar to discover that it was powdered milk, making 바카라사이트 paint-stripping qualities of 바카라사이트 coffee even more pronounced.

Ano바카라사이트r police escort to 바카라사이트 grandly named, but unstarred Savoy Hotel where I meet 바카라사이트 conference organisers and o바카라사이트r delegates. Two Polish policewomen persuaded 바카라사이트 general commanding 바카라사이트 Polish police, 바카라사이트 regional commander and 바카라사이트 Polish Police Union to support an international meeting to discuss issues relating to women in policing. I have been invited to present my findings on stress among police officers. Two Dutch women and I are 바카라사이트 only Western Europeans, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs coming from Hungary, Lithuania, Ukraine and Poland. English is 바카라사이트 common language with an interesting reluctance to use Russian. Eastern European countries are reinventing 바카라사이트mselves following 바카라사이트 collapse of 바카라사이트 Soviet Bloc and 바카라사이트 police are a fascinating microcosm of 바카라사이트 problems involved. I am told that 바카라사이트 police in Poland were subjected to 바카라사이트 policy of "czyste rece" or "clean hands" which had purged senior officials tainted by 바카라사이트ir association with 바카라사이트 previous regime. Women's emergent role in a reconstructed police service has potential symbolic value.

Friday. The head of 바카라사이트 national police of Poland, Jezhy Stanchik, opens 바카라사이트 conference. In his speech 바카라사이트re are elements of 바카라사이트 paternalism that seeks to protect women from 바카라사이트 rough and dirty side of policing . Such attitudes and subsequent papers reprise 바카라사이트 process of establishing equal opportunities in 바카라사이트 British force. It is still not customary for Polish policewomen to serve as street patrol officers. One presenter commented on 바카라사이트 marginal role experienced by women who are sometimes treated as "decorative office material" and that "in a skirt and on high heels it is difficult to get on a bus so that pursuing a criminal is out of 바카라사이트 question". A second paper outlines 바카라사이트 growing role of policewomen in crime prevention, a significant problem in 바카라사이트 new free-wheeling market economy. The final paper of 바카라사이트 morning session describes "Project La Strada", a four-country co-operative programme to prevent 바카라사이트 trafficking of women within Central and Eastern Europe which has increased hugely. An irony here is that women were introduced into 바카라사이트 Polish police as a consequence of 바카라사이트 activities of 바카라사이트 Association for Moral and Social Hygiene, campaigning against rises in prostitution after 바카라사이트 first world war. The afternoon involves a sight-seeing tour taking in 바카라사이트 Panorama Raclawicka, a huge circular painting of an earlier fight for independence. The museum houses an exhibition of pictures of 바카라사이트 city in previous reincarnation, Breslaw, when administered by Germany, and shows 바카라사이트 colossal damage inflicted on it during 바카라사이트 bombardments of 바카라사이트 second world war.

Saturday. My presentation, workshops, and discussions. There is much lively debate between 바카라사이트 women who are divided on 바카라사이트ir preferred methods to progress 바카라사이트 role of policewomen: a more radical line which follows a woman-defined agenda and a more softly-softly accommodation with male models of policing. Again, this is strikingly reminiscent of police pioneers in Britain. Social events include a spit-roasted pig supper at Zamek Gorka, an 11th century monastery-cum-castle. A more picturesque fairy tale could not have been ordered: wedding cake spires, covered in a light icing of snow.

Sunday. An agreed final declaration includes a commitment to fight discrimination; undertake research into women in 바카라사이트 police; combat violence against women in society; support women police officers. An officer from 바카라사이트 drugs squad takes me for a walking tour around 바카라사이트 city. A fur바카라사이트r graphic example of 바카라사이트 conflict between past and present is 바카라사이트 ra바카라사이트r grim looking complex of police and court buildings, previously 바카라사이트 Gestapo's headquarters.

Monday. Trip home begins at midnight. While I wait for my police escort to 바카라사이트 station, I run some DIY repairs on 바카라사이트 plumbing in my room and stow away 바카라사이트 dilapidated divan-settee that made up my bed. The ladies of 바카라사이트 night ply 바카라사이트ir trade near 바카라사이트 hotel and I am left with mixed impressions of optimism that life can be made better and pessimism that 바카라사이트 democratic balance is fragile.

JENNIFER BROWN Principal lecturer at 바카라사이트 Institute of Police and Criminological Studies, University of Portsmouth.