Canton Sarajevo gets auxiliary police and Helicopter Unit, new Law on Acquisition, Possession and Carrying of Weapons adopted

(Patria) - The Assembly of Canton Sarajevo (CS) unanimously adopted today, at the proposal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Law on Amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs, the Law on Amendments to the Law on Police Officers, and the new Law on Acquisition, Possession and Carrying of Weapons in CS.

The amendments to the laws will achieve more efficient filling of vacant positions in the police, personnel filling and strengthening of the police, clearer determination of the school or professional qualifications required for work in the police, and opening up opportunities for training police officers at higher education institutions in the country and abroad.

While amendments and additions were adopted for the Law on Internal Affairs of CS and the Law on Police Officers of CS, the Law on Acquisition, Possession and Carrying of Weapons in CS was adopted in a new form and is harmonized with international standards and EU acts.

According to Minister Admir Katica, intensive work was done on these laws in the previous months, and the fact that they were unanimously supported by both the ruling and opposition parties is explained by the fact that all parties in the CS Assembly were equally involved and that he held consultative meetings with everyone, which was also praised during the session itself.

- We worked in a detailed, analytical, coordinated, and comprehensive manner on adopting these amendments and involved all interested parties.

The laws were supported by the CS Government, we conducted public discussions, accepted all constructive proposals and suggestions, and held talks with all party caucuses in the CS Assembly.

I am pleased that we all showed a common interest in strengthening the police in CS, and thus the security of citizens - said Katica.

Among the biggest changes compared to previous laws is the introduction of auxiliary police in CS, which will be an integral part of the regular police. It will consist of members who assist regular police officers in performing police tasks for a limited period.

Amendments to the Law on Internal Affairs of CS introduce for the first time the duties of the Helicopter Unit as a special organizational unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of CS, and regulate the use of aircraft.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of CS has just completed the two-year training of its first pilots and aviation mechanics in Montenegro, and they will undergo further professional training in the USA and Singapore.

Now, the legal basis has been created to regulate the status of employees of the Helicopter Unit, the method and procedure for using the aircraft of the Helicopter Unit, in accordance with the regulations from the field of aviation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

An important amendment also allows the employment of individuals with higher education in the police, so now candidates who have fully achieved at least 240 ECTS credits in the fields of criminology, criminalistics, security, and law can apply for the position of 'junior inspector'.

The amendments also allow for the police commissioner to be replaced by multiple police officers in case of his inability to perform duties or the termination of his mandate.

Amendments to the Law on Police Officers of CS have created conditions for faster advancement in the police. Previously, it took four years for promotion from a lower to a higher rank.

Now this period is reduced to two years. This is also important because new staff cannot be hired until positions are 'freed up'. With faster advancement, new staff will be hired more quickly.

The amendments will also enable the Police Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of CS to send police officers for training at higher education institutions in the country and abroad in the future, thereby ensuring that the Police Administration receives professional, educated staff.

Canton Sarajevo today also got a new Law on Acquisition, Possession and Carrying of Weapons, which, in addition to increasing citizen security, also means harmonization with international standards and European Union acts.

- The new law more precisely defines the application, exceptions, categorization and types of weapons, restrictions, general and special conditions for acquiring weapons, determination of medical fitness, and more.

Individuals against whom criminal proceedings are pending for offenses punishable by imprisonment of five or more years will no longer be able to obtain a permit to carry weapons.

Approval will also not be granted to individuals against whom proceedings are pending for domestic violence or if a protection measure has been imposed on them in accordance with the Law on Protection from Family Violence - explains Katica.

One of the key changes in the law are the control medical examinations of persons who possess a permit to acquire weapons.

- From now on, all those who have a permit to acquire weapons will undergo medical examinations every five years to determine their medical fitness, instead of every ten years as previously stipulated by law - stated the minister.

The period within which a family member or guardian must report and surrender weapons to the police has been reduced from 60 to 30 days.