Police in BiH Act Only After a Crime Has Been Committed

By: Security expert, M.Sc. Vladimir Vučković / Patria

We are witnessing that poverty and unemployment significantly contribute to the increase in crime rates in our cities. The media are flooded with citizens' appeals for competent institutions to do something to increase safety in the local community, which is a good indicator that the fear of crime is significantly pronounced among most citizens.

There are many reasons why we are proud of the family and community in which we live and work. Many people have a developed sense of responsibility towards their families and towards other people in their environment, especially when it comes to individuals who need increased attention and help. Many citizens are safe and protected and have good living and working conditions.

A stable family and a strong community that firmly connects its members are important for children, young people, but also for other community members. These are essential foundations that enable individuals to fulfill their life needs in a safe social community.

Community safety does not depend solely on the level of crime in the community; community safety also refers to how people feel in their community. It is about accepting the fact that there are many factors that influence how safe people feel in the community. To improve community safety, all parts of the community need to work together to create a safer environment for work, life, and play. This means creating partnerships between the police, government bodies, local administration, community organizations, and individuals to improve community safety.

According to some theorists, the efficiency of security systems is reflected in the highest level of their decentralization, as these are systems that can easily reach every citizen. Such systems require full coordination and communication with citizens to create the necessary trust of citizens in security structures.

The key challenge in community safety is to revive the old idea that those who live in an area are responsible for the quality of life in that area, or how they themselves can contribute to improving that quality. Of course, this is only possible if the people in that area communicate with each other and respect and mutually realize different interests.

Community police should start by establishing quality communication at the local community level, in order to create a prerequisite for solving security problems and the overall quality of life in an area.

The main problem is the fact that the activities of the police and the local community are mostly directed towards taking measures after a crime or an attempt has been reported. Such action, in response to an already committed crime, can be called a reactive form of action. It puts the police and the local community in a defensive position in relation to perpetrators of prohibited behaviors. The police and the local community must analyze crime in their local area and group the problems they want to solve, and in joint cooperation, they should plan and undertake proactive measures and actions.

Young people need to be provided with conditions for education, sports, and after all that, employment, which is the basic factor for human existence. Only through proper, timely, and well-undertaken measures can long-term security and prosperity for all people in an environment be ensured.