Motorized Detachments of the Citizens’ Militia

Polish paramilitary organization

Also known as: ZOMO

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

The Motorized Detachments of the Citizens’ Militia (ZOMO) were a mobile paramilitary riot squad in Poland under the communist government. The ZOMO played a significant role in enforcing martial law and suppressing demonstrations in the early 1980s. After 1990, when the police force became known as the Policja, its paramilitary nature diminished.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Poland
Police
…the Citizens’ Militia—of which the Motorized Detachments of the Citizens’ Militia (ZOMO) acted as a mobile paramilitary riot squad—and the Security Service (SB), a secret political police force. In the early 1980s ZOMO played a key role in enforcing martial law and controlling demonstrations. The paramilitary nature of the Policja…
Read More
…the Citizens’ Militia—of which the Motorized Detachments of the Citizens’ Militia (ZOMO) acted as a mobile paramilitary riot squad—and the Security Service (SB), a secret political police force. In the early 1980s ZOMO played a key role in enforcing martial law and controlling demonstrations. The paramilitary nature of the Policja…
Read More