Budapest could soon see a visibly stronger police presence, with the government promising a significant increase in officers as public safety becomes a bigger focus in the capital.
The plan was discussed at the first meeting of the re-established Budapest Development Council, where Prime Minister Péter Magyar told participants that the government intends to significantly increase police numbers in Budapest.
According to Budapest City Hall, one way of achieving this would be to replace police officers currently performing security duties at government ministries with other forms of guarding and security. Those officers could then be reassigned to policing duties elsewhere in the capital.
Police have already stepped up targeted checks
The announcement comes after Budapest police launched a broader public-order operation during the summer, carrying out targeted checks at several locations across the capital.
In the first 30 days of the operation, officers checked 11,167 people, arrested 252 and took another 195 to police stations, according to the Budapest Police Headquarters.
The BRFK said the locations and priorities of the checks were determined using public-safety data, police experience and reports from residents and local authorities. Officers took action in cases involving robbery, drug-related offences, disorderly conduct, theft and various traffic violations.
The operation involved district police departments, central BRFK units, the Rapid Response and Special Police Services, municipal law-enforcement bodies and other partners. Also, the the capital already relies on reinforced patrols in busy nightlife districts, while Budapest police logged around 1.4 million hours of public-space duty in 2025.
High-profile incidents have drawn attention to safety in Budapest
Public safety has also received increased attention following several widely reported incidents in the capital in recent months. One of the most striking cases occurred in September, when a 21-year-old British tourist was suspected of attacking a 43-year-old pedestrian on Szent István körút in central Budapest.
Video footage showed the victim being knocked to the ground and repeatedly struck. He lost consciousness and was taken to hospital with head injuries. The suspect later told investigators that he could not remember what had happened because he had been heavily intoxicated.
The incident attracted significant attention because it appeared to be an unprovoked attack in a busy central area and was captured on video.
This attack was one of several violent incidents in Budapest that attracted attention in September. Earlier that month, a 33-year-old man was stabbed several times on tram 4 near Wesselényi Street, prompting a police investigation and renewed concern over safety on public transport.
Later, on 18 September, a 36-year-old man was fatally stabbed near Akácfa Street and Dob Street in the city’s busy nightlife district. Police later arrested two suspects in connection with the killing.
While these cases do not in themselves prove a broader rise in violent crime across the capital, their high-profile nature has helped keep public safety in the spotlight.
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More officers do not necessarily mean crime is rising
The recent cases and the government’s decision to increase police numbers do not by themselves show that Budapest is experiencing a citywide rise in violent crime.
The government and City Hall have not presented new comparative crime statistics alongside the announcement that would demonstrate a general increase in offences across the capital.
What is clear, however, is that public safety has moved higher on the agenda, with both targeted police operations and plans to increase the number of officers serving in Budapest. The Budapest Development Council is expected to meet again in the coming weeks, when further details of the government-city agreement may emerge.
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