At the end of August 2026, the Polish Patent Office granted the State Treasury, represented by the Chief Commander of the Police, protection for a trademark depicting a metal police star. Almost simultaneously, on October 1, 2026, an amendment to the Police Act entered into force, reserving not only the name "Police" for this service but also its graphic symbol. Both amendments have raised questions about whether the Police will now sue sellers of badges, costumes, and gadgets. The answer is more complex than it might seem, as trademark law and the regulations protecting the symbols of public institutions operate under entirely different rules.
What exactly was recorded?
The trademark filed under number Z.600897 depicts a star corresponding to the design from the 2009 regulation of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration on police uniforms. In the variant with the inscription "POLICJA" and a navy blue ribbon with an identification number, the same star serves as the officer's individual identification mark. The right of protection, granted on August 27, 2026, covers goods and services within five classes of the Nice Classification (Class 9: including computers, computer programs, screensavers and graphics downloadable for mobile phones; Class 16: including brochures, calendars, magazines, books, stickers and leaflets; Class 41: including photography, film direction and production, cultural, educational and entertainment services, and exhibitions; Class 42: graphic design; Class 45: including legal services and personal and property protection services).
This isn't the Police's first trademark. Since 2023, the State Treasury has been authorized to use two trademarks (Z.551722 and Z.551725), in which the star is only part of the "WE HELP AND PROTECT THE POLICE 112" symbol. The new symbol protects the star itself.
According to information provided by the National Police Headquarters, the procedure for issuing a protection certificate is still ongoing, and legal action against infringers will only be taken after the conclusion of the proceedings before the Patent Office. Therefore, for now, we are dealing with an announcement, not a wave of lawsuits.
New provisions of the Police Act
Regardless of trademark registration, as of October 1, 2026, the new wording of Article 1, Section 1a of the Police Act, introduced by the Act published in the Journal of Laws of 2026, item 864, shall apply: "The name 'Police' and the Police graphic symbol shall be reserved exclusively for the formation referred to in Section 1." Previously, the provision reserved only the name. The new Article 1, Section 1b authorizes the Minister of Internal Affairs to specify in a regulation the design of the Police graphic symbol and the rules for its use.
A trademark and a symbol of a public institution
This distinction is crucial for assessing the effects of registration. Industrial property law excludes the registration of marks containing, among other things, symbols of the Republic of Poland, symbols of the armed forces, paramilitary organizations, or law enforcement agencies, as well as reproductions of Polish orders, decorations, and honorary insignia, unless the applicant demonstrates authorization, in particular, permission from the relevant authority (Article 129¹, paragraph 1, item 9). This provision is intended to protect public symbols from unauthorized appropriation. In the case at hand, the applicant was the State Treasury itself, represented by the Chief Commander of the Police, so this obstacle did not impede registration.
Registration, however, does not change the nature of the protection right. A trademark serves to distinguish the goods and services of one entrepreneur from those of other entities in business transactions. In practice, this means that the Police may only avail themselves of protection within the limits typical of any trademark holder, including, in particular, its use in business transactions.
Who should pay attention to the new sign?
Security agencies and detective agencies are the most vulnerable. Registration in Class 45 covers personal and property protection services, i.e., services identical to those provided by security agencies. Detective services are not explicitly mentioned, but they fall into the same class and may be considered similar. Using a badge or logo resembling a police star in such activities may be considered infringement if the public interprets it as a designation of services. However, the assessment always depends on the specific sign and the context of its use. Sellers of badges, costumes, and toys: badges, clothing, and toys belong to classes other than those covered by the registration. Potential claims would require demonstrating similarity of the goods or the reputation of the mark. The most questionable are faithful replicas of the star, especially those with a service number, sold as costume elements. Officially published designs facilitate comparison of stylized badges with the original.
If an infringement occurs, the rightholder may demand that the infringement be ceased, the unlawfully obtained benefits be handed over and the damage be compensated (Article 296, paragraph 1 of the Industrial Property Law), and the court may order the withdrawal from trade or destruction of the unlawfully marked goods (Article 286).
In summary, registering the police star as a trademark provides the police with an additional civil law protection tool, but does not create a general prohibition on the use of symbols resembling the star. The scope of protection is determined by the registered classes of goods and services and the requirement to use the symbol in business transactions. The greatest risk applies to security agencies and detective agencies, whose services overlap with the scope of registration. Other businesses should exercise caution, especially with faithful replicas of badges, but they need not fear automatic claims.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
November 5, 2026.
