Border Protection Forces

Border Protection Forces (Polish: Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza, WOP), also known under its English abbreviation BPT, was the border guard service of the Polish People's Republic from 1945 to 1989. During its 46 years of existence, it repeatedly changed its structural and service subordination, passing from the Ministry of National Defense through the Ministry of Public Security to the Ministry of the Interior, and vice versa, to remain under the Ministry of Interior since 1972. Border Protection Forces soldiers were subject to the same rules and regulations as those of other soldiers of the Polish People's Republic. As a result of political transformation and the setup of the Third Polish Republic, the Border Protection Forces were disbanded on May 16, 1991, and the Border Guard was created in their place as a preventive-type police formation established to protect Poland's borders.