SIPA Trade Union Has Been Seeking Medical Examinations for Police Officers for Years, Minister Nešić Promises New Law on Police Officers

(Patria) - Following the murder that occurred in Tuzla on February 7, committed by a police officer of the MUP of Tuzla Canton, relevant authorities, it seems, have "awakened from a deep sleep" and are shocked by the fact that police officers work in police bodies without regular systematic medical examinations, according to a statement from the SIPA Trade Union.

The president of the Trade Union, Edin Kahrimanović, reminds that the Trade Union of the State Investigation and Protection Agency has been warning the competent authorities for at least seven years about the need for systematic medical examinations that would necessarily include psychological assessments of police officers, which requires the adoption of amendments to the Law on Police Officers at the state level.

The current Law does not define the obligation for regular systematic examinations, nor the possibility of sending police officers for an extraordinary medical examination.

"Police officers in the State Investigation and Protection Agency had their last systematic medical examination upon employment, meaning some as far back as 2004 or 2005, and since then only at their own expense. We note that in the period from then until today, there have been a number of suicides of police officers in various ways. The last suicide with a personal weapon occurred in 2020 in the official premises of the State Investigation and Protection Agency.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Security formed a working group three times that prepared amendments to the Law on Police Officers which provided for mandatory systematic examinations, however, none of the aforementioned three draft laws saw the light of day. The last amendment was prepared during the mandate of Minister Cikotić, back in 2021. With the departure of Minister Cikotić, all further activities on the mentioned draft law were suspended.

Through meetings with Minister Nešić, we have received assurances that in the coming period, a detailed analysis and drafting of a new proposal for the Law on Police Officers will be undertaken, and we hope that until then we will not have similar events as the one in Tuzla or the one from 2020," stated Kahrimanović.