100 years of the Hungarian Police Force

Magyar Posta is marking the centenary of the establishment of the unified Hungarian Police Force by issuing a promotional personalised stamp.

Seventy thousand copies of the philatelic novelty made by printing on the label part of the Very Own Stamp personalised stamp were produced by the banknote printing company Pénzjegynyomda and can be purchased at Filaposta and designated post offices or ordered from Magyar Posta’s online store from 24 April 2020.

The main functions of the police force are to prevent and investigate crime, to maintain law and order, to protect the safety of the public, and to preserve order at the country’s borders. Safety has been a vital need for as long as people have lived in communities, but the efforts to achieve this have changed and evolved in the different ages and societies over the centuries. In Hungary prior to 1920, law enforcement agencies operated under local direction in a decentralised manner. A hundred years ago, these activities were placed under central control, which involved the establishment of the Royal Hungarian Police Force, the regulation of policing and the start of the training of police officers.

On the label for the stamp the contemporary badge from the cap of the Royal Hungarian State Police Force in the Capital City and the arms of the modern police force are featured. The right side of the picture on the first day cover and the standing figure of a policeman in the centre evoke bygone days, while the left side shows current police cars. The postmark combines the number 100 in reference to the centenary, and the scales and sword which appear in the arms of the police.