Series:BCBP - Assessment of Police Integrity

2015 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

2015 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Author(s): Alma Kovačević,Hamza Višća / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; Bosnia and Herzegovina; police sector; corruption

A question of police integrity in BiH is quite difficult to consider due to the complexity of the police system. The police sector in BiH consists of 16 police agencies at all levels of government and 6 institutions which provide them support or carry out similar activities. This fact makes any research difficult because each police agency could be considered as an individual entity and particular research could be committed for each of them. Generally, findings of the report indicate that neither the legal framework, nor the practice is satisfying to ensure police integrity. In addition to that, the citizens assess police work as very weak and its efforts insufficient in fighting corruption. A very high influence of politicians on the police work still exists; police transparency is not satisfying when it comes to investigation of serious cases of corruption; human resources management and financing require serious reforms to be more functional in the fight against corruption; while both internal and external controls need serious changes to be more independent and functional. This report could help to consider police integrity from important points of view, including legal framework and citizens’ perspective. The report can help make a comprehensive study and a deeper analysis of each chapter.

2015 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN KOSOVO

2015 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN KOSOVO

Author(s): Plator Avdiu,Skender Perteshi / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; Kosovo; police sector; corruption

The Kosovo Police is ranked by the citizens of Kosovo among the most trusted institutions; however, its independence and integrity require further improvement. There have been several occasions when the Minister of Internal Affairs, albeit indirectly, commented on police operations; this was noticed particularly during the 2015 protests in Kosovo against the Government. This raises the issue of depoliticization of the police force, as well as claims that the latter is influenced by the executive power. As regards other components of integrity, the Kosovo Police still does not possess the ‘integrity plan’ which would guide the most fundamental principles on enhancing accountability, impartiality and honesty. Bearing in mind that members of the police force are among the oldest in the region when it comes to average age, the early retirement of approximately 1,000 police officers and the recruitment of new ones will represent quite a challenge. There is also a need for better cooperation between the Kosovo Police and the State Prosecutor’s Office, the strengthening of professional capacities and human resources of the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo needed for inspecting and investigating the police, and for better supervision of the police activities by external oversight institutions, the Assembly of Kosovo in particular. This report aims to assess the integrity within the Kosovo Police and to address the key problems and challenges. Progress and regress in relation to police integrity is measured through six sections or indicators: the transparency of police work, the influence of political interests on the operational work of the police, human resources management, financial management, internal control and external oversight of police work. Given that this is a comprehensive study, it provides a qualitative analysis of the relevance of integrity principles, with the aim of keeping the Kosovo Police accountable, honest and ethical. The study revealed six major findings. (i) In general, the Kosovo Police is transparent in terms of providing information to the media and the public. The police Information and Public Relations Office is in charge of conducting all the activities related to transparency. However, the police are far from being perfect in this context. There should be far less bureaucracy when it comes to access, statistics, data and detailed information about its work. Therefore, the Kosovo Police should be more proactive to ensure its timely transparency concerning the requests from media, non-governmental organizations and other relevant parties.

2015 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN MONTENEGRO

2015 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN MONTENEGRO

Author(s): Dina Bajramspahić,Mario Sošić / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; Montenegro; police sector; corruption

The integrity of the police in Montenegro has been compromised. The problems of bribery and misuse of office do not stand alone; there is also excessive use of force, passive professional behavior, extortion of statements, and political activity. Corruption is the second most common association of Montenegrin citizens when they are asked about the police, right after “security, safety and the protection of citizens,” and only 12 percent of the citizens believe that corruption does not run rampant in the police force of Montenegro. For the above reasons, the integrity of the police must become one of the priority areas of strategic further development of this service. There is a complex system of internal and external control of the police, which is characterized by insufficient cooperation and information exchange between the authorities in charge of oversight, insufficient effects of their controls, conclusions and recommendations, and by the citizens’ dilemma concerning the right authority to which to report abuse, corruption or overstepping of police powers, resulting from presence of too many actors. Although some progress has been made, supervisory authorities have not yet achieved necessary efficiency in the implementation of their powers. Reform of the Montenegrin police began shortly before the referendum on independence, through the enactment of the new Law on Police in October 2005. The Law on Internal Affairs of 2012 brought the Police Directorate back under the aegis of the Ministry of Interior, which resulted in reduced independence of the police concerning management and decision-making in many areas, from human resources and finance, to transparency. In this report we have presented the results of a study which aims to contribute to the improved functioning of the police, and increase the public trust and confidence in its work, which - as in all the Balkan countries – stands at quite a low level. The report is divided into six thematic sections: the first three relate to the issues of transparency, depoliticisation and management of human resources. The following three chapters deal with financial management and public procurement and the repressive measures for establishing the liability of employees, and analyze the work and results of all the actors in charge of internal and external control of police work. Each chapter is followed by recommendations for improvement within the specific area.

2015 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN SERBIA

2015 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN SERBIA

Author(s): Alisa Koljenšić Radić / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; Serbia; police sector; corruption

The integrity of the police in Serbia has been compromised. Only four percent of Serbian citizens believe that there is no corruption in the police force. The fight against corruption in the police became a “target” of the European Commission because the police has been identified in the Screening Report for Chapter 23: Judiciary and Fundamental Rights as a particularly sensitive area when it comes to corruption. Only one out of 23 Anti-Corruption Strategy activities listed in the Action Plan under section “Police” was implemented in full and within the set deadline. All this indicates the presence of a problem of accountable policing. Ministry of Interior has recognized the problem of compromised integrity of the police, and that is good. New strategic MoI priorities have been established: strengthening the accountability of the police and the internal control mechanisms to suppress corruption in police ranks. Consequently, the police reform in 2015 was marked by (i) drafting the new Law on Police, which will introduce new anti-corruption measures such as verification of the property of police officers in leading positions, and (ii) the establishment of an effective human resources management system in the MoI. The seriousness of this job may also be gleaned from the fact that adoption of the new Law on Police had been proposed three times already during this year, and that the new Human Resources Sector, as the main proponent of reform in this area, has yet to become operational even though changes in the human resources management had begun four years ago. This Report presents the results of monitoring the integrity of the police service in Serbia. Research indicates whether and to what extent the MoI and the police are behaving responsibly, i.e. whether the established strategic objectives and statutory functions are implemented in practice. The study offers an analysis of the integrity of the police using specific methodology for assessing the integrity of the police in six areas in which legal and practical weaknesses that may jeopardize such integrity have been examined: the transparency of police work, the influence of political interests on the operational work of the police, human resources management, financial management, internal control and external oversight of police work. Special emphasis was placed in the Report on the analysis of the solutions contained in the Draft Law on Police

2016 ASSESMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN ALBANIA

2016 ASSESMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN ALBANIA

Author(s): Besjana Kuci,Eranda Begaj / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; Albania; police sector; corruption

The adoption of the judicial reform package in July 2016 has been marked as the first concrete step in strengthening the rule of law and progress towards the European pathway. It goes without saying that the judicial reform is considered a panacea in the fight against corruption at all levels. Yet, in Albania, experience has proved that the enactment of legislation does not always match its implementation and that political will does not always coincide with genuine commitment to overcome the status quo. Hence, the focus on the judicial reform has virtually eclipsed police integrity concerns. Corruption is still largely widespread in many areas despite the anti-corruption measures in place. In this regard, this report aims to assess police integrity and examine its compliance with the principles of good governance and accountability. During this year police integrity has been compromised by problems of bribery and misuse of office, excessive use of force, passive professional behaviour and allegations of links to drug trafficking. Therefore, police integrity must become one of the priority areas of further strategic development of this service. There is a complex system of internal and external controls of the State Police (SP) in place, but it is characterised by insufficient cooperation and information exchange between the authorities in charge of oversight as well as insufficient implementation of their conclusions and recommendations. Moreover, the citizens tend to be confused about the proper channels and authorities to whom to report corruption or misconduct, as a consequence of presence of too many actors. Although some progress has been achieved, mainly with regard to the adoption of the legal framework on anti-corruption, oversight authorities have not yet achieved necessary efficiency in the implementation of their powers. The Law on SP of 2014 has been followed by the endorsement of a legislative package including the new State Police Regulation (2015), the Strategy on Public Order 2015- 2020 and its Action Plan 2015-2017 that lay down statutory gurantees concerning the prevention of corruption within the State Police. Moreover, the Law on Internal Affairs and Complaints Service, enacted in 2014, repealed the former Law on Internal Control Service. This Law had provided explicit provisions with regard to the fight against corruption in the police.

2016 ASSESMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN KOSOVO

2016 ASSESMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN KOSOVO

Author(s): Plator Avdiu / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; Kosovo; police sector; corruption

Kosovo Police has built its own internal governing mechanisms, especially related to internal control. However, there is still a lot to be done to make all those mechanisms more professional and stronger, and build the institutional integrity in order to prevent and fight police corruption. It seems that the main challenges that Kosovo Police faces are human resource management, the internal reform process, public procurement and prevention of abuse of official duty by the police officers. The need to professionalize KP’s human resources raised the need to undertake reforms in this institution of security starting from early retirement of police officers, which has not begun as a process yet. Weaknesses have been identified regarding updates of the files of KP’s personnel. Work performance assessment does not take place regularly for the police employees. In addition, the Kosovo Police personnel does not have any health insurance or life insurance in their workplace, which may harm its human resources. Public Procurement is another field where Kosovo Police should focus. It should pay special attention to legal procedures as defined by the Law on Public Procurement for the supervision of contracts and different projects, which get implemented by economic operators. Similarly, relevant institutional mechanisms should be strengthened in order to avoid those weaknesses reported regarding the process of preparation of tender documentation. Kosovo Police jointly with the Kosovo Police Inspectorate should closely collaborate to draft and implement policies in the area of prevention and combating police corruption. In this regard, lack of a Kosovo Police Integrity Plan, and lack of an action plan for its practical implementation, may harm all efforts to strengthen police integrity. Meanwhile, the role of Kosovo Police Inspectorate to supervise the Kosovo Police should be active, specifically related to the inspection and investigation of police officers, including those in high ranks and at the management level of the Kosovo Police.

2016 ASSESMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN MACEDONIA

2016 ASSESMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN MACEDONIA

Author(s): Magdalena Lembovska,Filip Stojkovski / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; North Macedonia; police sector; corruption

The Parliament provides basic oversight and control of the police. The Committee on Security and Defence, as a parent committee in charge of security-related issues, mainly deals with discussing draft legislation. The Standing Inquiry Committee for Protection of Civil Freedoms and Rights, which is authorised to review communications from citizens and whose findings could be used as grounds for initiating a procedure for accountability of public office holders, has not had any track record since establishment. At the same time, the existing oversight mechanisms, such as holding oversight hearings, remain underused. On the other side, members of the Parliament make good use of parliamentary questions. On paper, the Ombudsman is well positioned within the Macedonian institutional setup; however, he is faced with obstructions from the institutions in fulfilling his mandate and lack of cooperation with the Internal Control Unit of the Ministry of Interior and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. It should be noted that the Ombudsman has noted an increase in policy brutality and a decrease in the protection of human rights and freedoms. In regards to internal control, the Department for Internal Control, Criminal Investigations and Professional Standards has undergone structural changes that should allow greater authority and a better delineation between preventive and reactive work. The number of decisions taken in favour of citizens in the cases of excessive use of force remains very low, which undermines public trust in this body. Also, there have been allegations of politicisation of the work of the unit. The adoption of the Law on Whistle-Blower Protection represents a positive development. Still, the Law needs to be amended to become more precise, and the institutions involved in the process of whistle-blower protection need to be equipped with necessary resources (human, technical, financial) in order to be able to perform. As for the prevention of conflict of interest, the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption needs to overcome certain structural deficiencies, including lack of independence, in order to be recognised as an independent oversight mechanism.

2016 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN MONTENEGRO

2016 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN MONTENEGRO

Author(s): Aleksandra Vavić,Ana Đurnić,Dina Bajramspahić,Ivana Bogojević,Milena Milošević,Milica Milonjić / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; Montenegro; police sector; corruption

The second assessment of the institutional integrity of the police, prepared by a team of researchers of the Institute Alternative, analyses the following: the methods used by the system to resist irregularities and illegalities in the work of police officers, how the system responds to the observed irregularities, and especially the problems faced by the actors in charge of controlling the police in their attempts to achieve efficiency. The analysis covers the period from November 2016 to November 2017 and builds on the results of previous research.1 In this report we have presented the key novelties, changes and improvements, but also the negative practices and obstacles to efficient work, with the intent to make a contribution to improving the functioning of the police and increasing public trust and confidence in its work, the level of which – much like in other Balkan countries – happens to be very low.2 The report has five chapters. The first chapter is devoted to bodies that perform external oversight of the police. There are five of them in Montenegro: the Assembly of Montenegro, the Council for Civil Control, the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, the Agency for Protection of Personal Data and Free Access to Information, and the Anti-Corruption Agency. The two following chapters are titled Human Resources Management and Financial Management, while the last two are devoted to internal control in the broader sense (made up of the Internal Control Department, the Disciplinary Commission, the Ethics Committee, and the heads of organisational units of the police), and finally, to the criminal liability and the work of judicial authorities.

2016 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN SERBIA

2016 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN SERBIA

Author(s): Bojan Elek,Saša Đorđević,Sofija Mandić,Vladimir Erceg / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; Serbia; police sector; corruption

The fourth assessment of the police integrity in Serbia covers the period from December 2015 to December 2016. To ensure the basic role of the police – maintenance and improvement of the safety of citizens – the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy has been regularly examining the integrity of the police since 2012. In addition to the above, the police are legally obliged to fight corruption, among other things, and they cannot successfully perform this task if they do not have the integrity necessary to prevent their own personnel from becoming susceptible to corrupt behaviour. The integrity assessment opens up a discussion of the abuse of police powers, corruption in the police force, and misconduct of police officers. Studies conducted in various democratic countries show that management of the police and police culture are the most important factors that influence the officers’ behaviour. Therefore, the focus of this study is to assess the institutional integrity of the police, i.e. the effectiveness of the reform and managerial moves in the police aimed at making it an accountable and transparent service oriented towards the citizens. We did not analyse whether the reforms at the organisational level have produced effects at the level of individuals, or if they have changed the police culture, as we have not had access to data required for this level of analysis. The research methodology was improved, compared to the last year's study. Two areas – transparency and management – which have been studied in detail in 20151 now represent integral parts of each field of integrity observation. Within them, we analysed the steps forward as well as the problems, in both legal and practical terms. Based on this methodology we have identified five areas of integrity observation: 1) external oversight, 2) police accountability, 3) human resources management, 4) financial management, and 5) criminal accountability. The last area is completely new and it served to assess a formal possibility for criminal prosecution of members of the police force for their corruption activities.

2016 THE CITIZENS’ OPINION OF THE POLICE FORCE - The Results of a Public Opinion Survey Conducted in Albania

2016 THE CITIZENS’ OPINION OF THE POLICE FORCE - The Results of a Public Opinion Survey Conducted in Albania

Author(s): / Language(s): English

Keywords: police force; public opinion; Albania; police sector

The most trusted institutions in Albania are the media and the education system. Slightly more than half (56%) of the respondents trust the police, while 43% have no trust in this institution. The least trusted institution is the Parliament (25%), followed by the judiciary (33%), customs (34%), the prosecutors’ offices (34%) and the Anti-Corruption Agency (35%). Corruption remains one of the major challenges of the governance in Albania, regardless of the existence of various anti-corruption institutions and measures. Police corruption is still persistent, even though the survey results show improvement of public trust in the police. The concern is that the important pillars in the fight against corruption are also perceived by the respondents as the most corrupt institutions in Albania: judiciary (79%), prosecution (76%), and the Parliament (75%). Corruption is least widespread within the media and non-governmental organisations. Despite the respondents’ prevailing opinion of police being corrupt, it is worth noting that 56% of the respondents believe that employment in the police is gained through public competitions, knowledge and capabilities of candidates. However, Influential friends and political ties form a shortcut to police employment for 71% of the respondents, which is a result that should cause concern in police officials. More than half (55%) of the respondents state that the police act mostly as a service to the citizens, while one fourth of the respondents (25%) who believe the opposite. The data show a high level of police politicisation: 40% of the respondents believe that politicians have complete influence over the operational work of the police force. An additional 39% share the opinion that politicians influence police work to a great extent. The data also show a contradiction in the citizen’s perception on the merit-based recruitment of police officers and the high level of political influence on policing. Traffic police force is considered the most corrupted police unit, (64%), followed by Minister’s closest associates (59%), border police and criminal police (54%) respectively. This indicates that the respondents associate police corruption mainly with bribery, despite the diversity of the forms of police corruption. Moreover, when asked about the institutions to which respondents would first report a case of police corruption, more than half (58%) said that they would report it to the local police station and the media. With regard to the impunity culture prevailing in Albania, about one fifth (23%) of the respondents suggest strict punishment of offenders, and another fifth (22%) point out that it is necessary to punish a greater number of high ranking police officers. More than one third of the respondents (36%) indicate that the central Government should lead the fight against corruption in the police organisation, assisted by other proposed institutions. Less than half of the respondents (43%) consider that non-governmental organisations should take active part in the fight against corruption, including collaboration with the state institutions favoured by 26% of the respondents.

2016 THE CITIZENS’ OPINION OF THE POLICE FORCE - The Results of a Public Opinion Survey Conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina

2016 THE CITIZENS’ OPINION OF THE POLICE FORCE - The Results of a Public Opinion Survey Conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author(s): Armin Kržalić / Language(s): English

Keywords: police force; Bosnia and Herzegovina; police sector; public opinion

The police happens to be most trusted part of the system of Bosnia and Herzegovina – more than half of the population has confidence in this institution. However, the image of the police among the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided – while the opinion of some is quite positive, others list corruption, lack of politeness and discomfort as things that first come to mind at the mention of police officers. In the opinion of the population, one of the biggest problems with the police is the excessive influence of politicians on their work. The police officers are, thus, perceived as protectors of the interests of political parties instead of those who are there to serve the citizens. Citizens believe that corruption in the police force is widespread, but when we look at individual parts of the institution we see that this assessment varies and pertains mostly to traffic police, border police (especially the customs officers) and the closest associates of ministers of interior affairs. Citizens say that the process of employment in the police also happens to be problematic, i.e. that employment is gained through friends, family members, political connections and bribery. The number of those who say that they would report cases of corruption in the police, if they had the opportunity, is quite small. Such an attitude best illustrates the image of the police in public, that is, its disappointment with their work and lack of interest in their affairs.

POLICE INTEGRITY IN SERBIA - Results of the public opinion survey in Serbia 2015

POLICE INTEGRITY IN SERBIA - Results of the public opinion survey in Serbia 2015

Author(s): Authors Various / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; Serbia; police sector; corruption

Bad economic situation is the main problem of Serbian citizens. When they are not preoccupied by this difficult, they are concerned with corruption, which is, for the majority of the citizens, a normal occurrence in Serbian society. Citizens say that corruption is everywhere, also inside the police, the institution which issupposed to lead the fight against corruption together with the Prosecutor’s office. Only four percent of the citizens believe that there is no corruption within the police. For more than two thirds of citizens, corruption within the police is widespread. Based on previously conducted public opinion surveys, the police is always amongst top five most corrupted institutions. This is also the case now, and police is accompanied by Health, Customs, Judiciary and Commercial Inspection. Traffic police, border police and the part of the police fighting of economic crime, are considered to be the parts of police where corruption is mostly widespread. The most corrupted within the police are those employed on the high positions, as well as police officers which have daily contact with the citizens. Four percent of the citizens state they have participated in bribery with the police representatives. Even when the socially desirable answers and the fear of admitting such deeds are taken into account, the difference between the perception of corruption and the experience with corruption is great. Citizens believe that the corruption level in Serbia has remained the same in the past year. Besides that, the fight against corruption is personalized, and institutions’ contribution is very small. Every fifth citizen believes that the Serbian Prime Minister contributed the most to fight against corruption. Nevertheless, Serbian citizens do not have a clear idea about to whom they should report corruption, as well as which is the institution in charge for the fight against the corruption within police force. At the end, citizens believe that the civil society and the European Union have their own part in the fight against corruption. Civil society organizations are perceived as direct participants in the fight against corruption, independently or in cooperation with the state, and the European Union primarily through financial support.

Testing the integrity of police officers 2016

Testing the integrity of police officers 2016

Author(s): Sofija Mandić,Saša Đorđević / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; Serbia; police sector; corruption

The integrity test is an operational police method of covert collection of information, conducted for the purpose of preventing and detecting corruption in the police force. It was introduced back in the ‘70s to combat corruption in the New York Police Department. Although in Serbia it had been continually announced for four years, it was only in 2016 that it was prescribed, albeit imprecisely, by the new Law on Police. Also, no one ever explained which form of the test will be applied in Serbia: the one targeting police officers under suspicion, or the random form, which would apply to all. However, this is not the only dilemma regarding the testing of the integrity of police officers in Serbia, which was publicly described as a “secret operational method that will discover various forms of abuse in the police” and be used to try to “tempt colleagues by offering them bribes.” The concept of integrity, that is, the main purpose for the introduction of such testing in general, is unclear. The test subjects are unknown, and so are the requirements concerning the notification of testing, the consequences of its results and the utilisation, recording and preserving of collected materials. The law does not specifically prohibit encouraging police officers to commit criminal offenses of corruption or other illegal acts in the course of testing. All this will be included in a secondary legislation, which should be enacted by the Minister of Interior Affairs within one year after the adoption of the law – which is, in itself, quite problematic. For example, the integrity test may limit the rights of inviolability of the place of residence, confidentiality of correspondence, the right to work, the right to equal protection, and the right to a fair trial. The Constitution requires that these rights be restricted by a law, not a by-law. The integrity test, as it was designed in the Ministry of Interior and to some extent defined by the Law on Police, in no way fits into the allowed framework which serves to limit the rights, and into the existing rules that apply to criminal proceedings. It is clear that the integrity test will continue to develop in the direction of the confidentiality of operations to be carried out by the Internal Affairs Sector within the Ministry of Interior, which is not a good solution. The Criminal Procedure Code stipulates that covert information gathering methods, i.e. special investigative actions can be undertaken only upon a court decision issued upon a reasoned request of the public prosecutor. The Law on Police does not at all recognise the prosecution and the judiciary as actors in the implementation of the test. As regards the use of evidence obtained by way of integrity testing – they should be treated as illegally obtained evidence.

HOW MUCH DOES PUBLIC SAFETY COST US? - Analysis of budget items of police services in Bosnia and Herzegovina

HOW MUCH DOES PUBLIC SAFETY COST US? - Analysis of budget items of police services in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author(s): Denis Hadžović,Benjamin Plevljak / Language(s): English

Keywords: public safety; police system; police budget; Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are 16 police agencies organized on different levels of governance, and 5 more institutions closely connected to police activities. Such a complicated police system is a reflection of the constitutional and social-political order in BiH. The goal of the presented analysis is to show how much of the budget is being allocated to finance the police structures in BiH. The analysis contains ten cantonal and two entity ministries of interior, Police of Brčko District, Ministry of Security BiH and its seven administrative organizations.1 Concerning the time of the research, the budget costs in 2011 and 2015 were analyzed. The time gap of four calendar years provides basis to identify trends and consumption dynamics important for the functioning of the above mentioned institutions. Primary sources of data used in the research are audit reports for 2011 and budgets of different government levels for the year 2015.

URGENT POLICE DEPOLITICISATION IN THE WESTERN BALKANS

URGENT POLICE DEPOLITICISATION IN THE WESTERN BALKANS

Author(s): Sofija Mandić / Language(s): English

Keywords: politicisation; Western Balkans; operational independence

One of the biggest problems faced by the police in the Western Balkans is politicisation and lack of operational independence from political leaders and structures. This is confrmed by the legal framework on policing which introduces a wide scope of competencies of Ministers of Interior and other politically elected figures, and by the citizens’ perception that the police serve the political parties’ interests. The Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) Law on Internal Affairs of 2014 allows direct and indirect influence of political parties and officials on the autonomy of the police. Most important shortcomings are related to the Federal Minister of Interior who is allowed to make decisions regarding concrete police actions, influence human resources micro-management, and decide on the use of police finances and detention treatment and rules. The Law only declaratively stipulates that the police are subjected to civilian and democratic control. However, more than 80 percent of the citizens of BIH believe that the influence of politics on operative work of the police is quite high. In Kosovo, before the Prime Minister takes a decision on the appointment of Police Director General, the Minister of Internal Affairs interferes in the process by establishing and regulating the work of the Commission whose task is to nominate the candidates. The 2012 Law on Police in Kosovo allows direct influence of the Minister of Internal Affairs on the internal organisation of the police and the establishment of special police units. The Minister can compromise the operational independence of the police regardless of the fact that the Law on Police stipulates otherwise. More than 70 percent of the citizens perceive police as politicised and fully, or to some extent, under political control. The Montenegrin Law on Internal Affairs of 2012 allows the Minister of Interior to influence the Police Director’s appointment by proposing the candidate to the Government, and to influence the work of the Police Directorate by appointing Police Director’s deputies. The Minister is allowed to define the exceptions concerning the duties that are deemed incompatible with police work, but he also has discretionary powers to allow police officers to conduct some activities that are in contravention to the rules if he estimates that this will not harm the professional work of the Ministry. The Minister can decide in disciplinary proceedings and develop its rules. The public image of the police as an authority serving the citizens is better, to the extent that the legal framework is more progressive – one third of the citizens believe that the police is working in their interest. The Serbian Law on Police of 2016 does not create sufficient and necessary conditions for depoliticisation of the police. The text of the law mentions “respect for the operational independence of the police” but fails to specify what that actually means. The Minister of Interior is allowed to prescribe the mode of performance of internal affairs tasks, request reports, data and other documents relating to the work of the police and the Ministry, and provide the Internal Affairs Sector with binding instructions for work, as well as with orders to perform certain tasks and undertake certain measures. The Minister is given the power to assign and dismiss the highest ranking heads of the Police Directorate. More than 80% of the citizens see the police as an institution serving others’ interests instead of theirs. There are various legal shortcomings influencing the operational independence of the police in the Western Balkans. It is therefore necessary that the international community – the European Union (EU) in particular – advocate the development of legal instruments and institutional mechanisms which will prevent the political leaders and structures from crossing the forbidden line and becoming involved in the operational work of the police.

TODAY AND TOMORROW: SOCIAL MEDIA AND POLICE SERVICES IN THE WESTERN BALKANS

TODAY AND TOMORROW: SOCIAL MEDIA AND POLICE SERVICES IN THE WESTERN BALKANS

Author(s): Marko Živković / Language(s): English

Keywords: social media; police services; Western Balkans

Police services in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia) are not substantially active on social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube) and are not sufficiently exploiting the advantages of online communication such as: flexibility (accessible 24/7), relevance (provides a place for real-life policing examples and the exchange of experiences), and community building (the police can develop a supportive, stimulating community that is held by participants in high regard). There is a significant possibility for police services to use social media in the WB for strong community engagement and partnership with the aim of providing a crime-free and safe environment for citizens. Internet penetration in the region is 68.1% and there are 12.5 million internet users1 as well as more than 8.5 million Facebook2 account holders. The average Facebook consumer has more than 200 ‘friends’3 , which indicates a high potential for the community engagement and sharing of information. The research analysed the level of police presence in the social media platforms during the period from 1 January to 31 July 2017. It shows that five out of seven police services in the WB that are subject to this analysis use at least one social medium as a communication tool. Four out of seven are present on Facebook and YouTube, while three have Twitter and Instagram accounts. Only the Albanian police are present on all four social networks. The Kosovo Police makes use of three networks, while the rest use two out of four. Montenegrin police and the MoI of the Federation of BiH, however, are not present on any social networks. Police services in the region predominantly use social media to share basic information, and for promotion. Efforts to engage citizens are lacking. The nature of these social networks, as two-way communication tools, is not recognised by police forces of the region. The police in Albania are mostly active on Facebook, with more than 30,000 page-likes. Twitter and YouTube are used considerably less, Instagram not at all. Facebook is used primarily as a communication tool for sharing service information of the Albanian police, mostly through video posts. There is no interaction with the citizens. The language is formal and bureaucratic. The MoI of the Federation of BiH is not actively using social media, while the MoI of the Republic of Srpska has a YouTube account and an official Facebook page with 18,123 page-likes. It is not however present on Twitter. Facebook is primarily a communication tool used for sharing service information, mostly by way of posting photographs. Citizens’ engagement is low, but still better when compared to the practice in Albania and Kosovo. The Kosovo police have Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts, but no Instagram. Facebook is their main online communication tool, with 34,345 page-likes. However, the Kosovo police are not regularly active on Facebook and mostly share links that lead to service information. Interaction with citizens is very low. Original Twitter content is not produced and a low level of activity on YouTube has been noted. The MoI of Macedonia is active predominantly on YouTube, with more than 5,000 subscribers and almost 9.5 million views, which is the best result in the region. Its activity on Instagram is modest. The Facebook page was created in August 2017. There is no Twitter account. The Minister of Interior is not very active on Twitter, and tweets are not strictly related to policing. The MoI of Montenegro is not present on any of the social networks. The police in Serbia are active mainly on Instagram and YouTube.4 Tweeting ceased in February 2010. Instagram is used in accordance with the rules of this social network, with the primary goal to promote the activities of the police and the Minister. The YouTube account of the Serbian MoI had more than 9 million views and boasts 6,483 subscribers, which is the record in the region. Communication in the 21st century has been tremendously changed by new technologies. Social media now provide a completely new communication approach, with different potential and substance. Regardless of whether or not the police want to be present on social media, police issues are being discussed online. Due to this fact, if the police do not use social media many related information can be subjected to spinning and misuse, with no possibility of reacting through the same communication channel. Even though the facts regarding internet and social media users in the WB indicate that conditions for police use of social media do exist, law enforcement agencies of the region are not sufficiently active on social networks. There is significant room for improvement of social media usage by police in the WB to increase effectiveness by engaging citizens, and to build trust in the police by presenting the human side through community policing. Social networks are not just another traditional media channel; they allow greater connectivity and interaction between the web users and encourage contributions and feedback from anyone who is a member of any virtual community

SERBIAN POLICE CRIME STATISTICS (UN)AVAILABLE

SERBIAN POLICE CRIME STATISTICS (UN)AVAILABLE

Author(s): Gorana Radovanović / Language(s): English

Keywords: police sector; crime; transparency; crime rates; Minister of Internal Affairs; Serbia

Increasing the transparency and accountability of the police is not viable if the Serbian public are made aware of current crime rates and the effectiveness of the police only by the Minister of Internal Affairs.

THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT IN BUILDING POLICE INTEGRITY IN SERBIA

THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT IN BUILDING POLICE INTEGRITY IN SERBIA

Author(s): Katarina Đokić / Language(s): English

Keywords: police integrity; police sector; Serbia; Parliament

Parsimonious legal framework and parliamentarians’ reluctance to utilise their powers have impeded parliamentary oversight of police work. Hence, the parliament does not have a significant role in building police integrity in Serbia.

2016 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

2016 ASSESSMENT OF POLICE INTEGRITY IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Author(s): Mirela Hodović / Language(s): English

The Future of International Police Missions in the New Global Security Environment – Contribution of Western Balkans Police Forces to EU’s International Policing

The Future of International Police Missions in the New Global Security Environment – Contribution of Western Balkans Police Forces to EU’s International Policing

Author(s): Andreja Bogdanovski,Uroš Živković / Language(s): English

The existence of a police component in UN peace operationsis not a novelty. It goes back half a century ago andwas first introduced in the Congo in the 1960’s. Embeddingpolice components in UN missions became moreextensive at the end of the 90’s, when different types ofit (support of country security reforms, advice, monitoringetc.) were incorporated in all UN Security Council approvedmissions after 1999.