Territorial Defense Forces (Poland)

Territorial Defense Forces
Obrona Terytorium Kraju
Insignia of the OTK's Varsovian Brigade
Active	1965
Disbanded	2008
Country	Poland
Type	Armed force

The Territorial Defense Forces (Polish: Obrona Terytorium Kraju - OTK) was an armed force responsible for the internal security of Poland and separate from the Polish Army. The OTK existed from 1965 until 2008. As initially organized, OTK forces included both an "Internal Defense Forces" and the "Border Protection Troops". This style of internal security organization corresponded to that used by the Soviet Union during the same period.^[1]

After the fall of communism in Poland, changing political priorities led to the reduction of OTK forces. By 1 July 2008, the last of its battalions were converted to mechanized units of the army.