Okerić: Sarajevo Canton Police Administration led by Nusret Selimović has failed to meet key tasks in the past three years

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Security Commission of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly, led by Elvedin Okerić, warns that due to the non-implementation of laws and bylaws by the Sarajevo Canton Police Administration, the security system in that canton could collapse.

Okerić stated that the Commission reacted to the fact that for several years there has been a significant shortage of police officers in the Sarajevo Canton Police Administration, which has led to an enormous number of overtime hours for police officers who are unfairly working extra for human resources that have been missing from the Police Administration for years.

"In the past three years, the Police Administration, led by Police Commissioner Nusret Selimović, has failed to meet the key needs of the Police Administration's security system, such as human resource capacity building and equipping the Police Administration with necessary material and technical resources," Okerić emphasized.

He explained that the Police Administration, which has legal financial independence, has a very low budget execution, despite the continuous support of the Sarajevo Canton Government, which, at the request of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Sarajevo Canton, allocated more than 20 million KM last year alone for the procurement of necessary equipment and material-technical resources for the quality and efficient work of police officers in the field.

"Last year, the Police Administration managed to realize only about 900,000 KM, thus missing the opportunity to equip police officers with the necessary equipment, as other cantons do," Okerić stated.

He added that the Police Administration is currently short of about 800 police officers based on the new systematization adopted in February 2022. He claims that the promotion of police officers was last carried out in 2018, even though it is a legal obligation to fill vacant positions every year to avoid gaps in organizational units.

"Regular promotion of police officers and strengthening of the security system in the Sarajevo Canton has been halted for four years, and we do not know why, whether it is due to ignorance or the conscious implementation of someone's agenda to weaken the security system," Okerić stated.

Okerić points out that due to the non-implementation of laws and timely promotions, including the promotion to the rank of Chief Inspector since June 2022, there is no one to replace the Police Commissioner of the Sarajevo Canton Police Administration in case of any absence that would prevent him from performing his duties.

"Dependence on one person, and the casual attitude that no negative consequences will occur for the Sarajevo Canton as an economic and administrative center, and the entire security system, is irresponsible and unprofessional," Okerić believes.

He emphasized that by 2026, several hundred police officers will retire, and more than 300 experienced police officers are expected to retire during this and the next two years.

"The procedure for hiring new police officers is proceeding very slowly, taking a year and a half or more, which further complicates the current situation and calls into question the future effective functioning of the Sarajevo Canton security system," Okerić said.

He emphasized that the promotion process is the right of a police officer, which is a legally prescribed obligation of the police commissioner to fill vacant positions in the Police Administration every year to avoid untimely renewal of police staff and burdening the operational functionality of the Police Administration.