The issue of trust in police further influences citizens not to report problems to the police, consequently leading to an overall decrease of the effectiveness of police work.
By Luka Ličina (BCSP) / Photo: Sofija Mandić, Bojan Elek
In April 2015 the Serbian Ministry of Interior didn’t think that it was necessary to check Human Rights Watch findings that Serbian police is taking money from migrants. Two months after that, Serbian authorities have arrested 29 police officers. They have been charged with accepting and giving bribes and abuse of powers over the course of the last 15 months.
This is one simple example why the integrity of the police in Serbia has been compromised. Another example is that the fight against corruption in the police became a “target” of the European Commission because the police have been identified in the Screening Report for Chapter 23: Judiciary and Fundamental Rights as a particularly sensitive area when it comes to corruption. The Ministry of Interior has recognized the problem of compromised integrity of the police, and that is good. Still, the results of reform are weak.
Today, the POINTPULSE Network is talking with the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy researchers Sofija Mandić and Bojan Elek about the ongoing police reform process in Serbia and the lack of police integrity.
─ What are the consequences of police corruption in Serbia?
Bojan Elek: Corruption is omnipresent in Serbian society, so it comes as no surprise that citizens perceive that it also exists in police. However, if taken into account that police at the same time has the potential to protect but also infringe upon citizen’s rights, it is especially dangerous if the corruption in police reaches rampant levels. Only four percent of the citizens believe that there is no corruption within the police.
Sofija Mandić: This problem is further exacerbated because police is, or at least should be, the first level of the Government’s response when it comes to fighting against corruption. If the very same institution that should fight corruption is one of the most corrupt, that leads to a decrease in trust.
─ In that sense, what is the damage for citizens?
Sofija Mandić: This issue of trust further influences citizens not to report problems to the police, consequently leading to an overall decrease of the effectiveness of police work. As the results, the main costs is not only the lack of trust in concrete police officers we meet in our streets, but even more: lack of trust that police as an institution works in citizen’s interest. This is why it is important to promote police integrity in the service. One way towards reaching this goal can be increased transparency of police work.
─ What are the main three problems in police reform process in your country?
Bojan Elek: Police reform has been an ongoing process for the previous decade and a half, where its latest incarnation is the one that started in 2014 with the view to harmonizing police in line with the EU standards. From the 3D police reform process that was initiated by OSCE in Serbia in early 2000s (centered on implementing principles of demilitarization, decentralization and depoliticization), we have come to a situation where the existing problems can also be described with the 3D formula.
─ What do you mean by the “new 3D formula”?
Bojan Elek: It is evident that deprofessionalization of police is taking place, as evidenced by inappropriate human resource management in the service and predominance of political rather than professional standards when it comes to career advancing.
Defunding of police is also a critical issue, given that its budget is being cut year after year, with police officers working for salaries at a sustenance level –even lower than those of community police. Moreover, almost 90% of the MoI’s annual budget is earmarked for salaries, leaving little to no room for investments.
If taken into account that a huge amount of time, energy and resources have been invested in police reform over the course of previous 15 years with little to show for it, dilettantism can be identified as the third quintessential characteristic of the police reform.
─ What causes such a state of play in Serbia?
Sofija Mandić: There is a lack of real political interest to create the police service that will serve citizens (not political parties and individuals), lack of skills and knowledge in the police to pursue these reforms and lack of political courage to state out loud what the real state of corruption in the police is.
─ Is there an example of good practices in tackling police corruption in your country?
Bojan Elek: Despite the fact that in the official political discourse fight against corruption represents one of the main tenants, a closer look at the track-record of fight against corruption reveals that results are far from being satisfactory.
For example, the National Strategy for Fight against Corruption envisages a number of measures to be implemented in order to improve the state of play regarding corruption in the police. However, only 3 out of 29 proposed activities in this area has been implemented fully and in line with the proposed deadlines. This speaks volumes as to the lack of political will to tackle corruption. This being said, most of the sound anti-corruption efforts and initiatives comes from the civil society.
Sofija Mandić: Good examples I can think of are related to personal (not institutionally developed) ethics of police officers involved.
─ What are the main three recommendations to foster police reform process in your country?
Bojan Elek: Kaufmann’s recipe claims that the best disinfectant against corruption, especially the higher-level one, is increased transparency. No repressive measure can produce as good results as simple openness of the government and the public scrutiny of easily available data on the government’s work. This is why it is necessary that all the relevant data (budgets, expenditures, decisions, open calls, crime statistics etc.) are made available to the public, so that the fight against corruption in police starts producing more sizeable rewards.
Sofija Mandić: Interested public and citizens should react more on police corruption, not allowing its further growth within the system. Political decision makers should be clear that police corruption is unacceptable, both in words and acts.
Bojan Elek: There is a need for clear delineation between politics, politicking, policy and policing. Politics should remain outside of policing, reserved for a separate political and party arena. Politicking should be kept strictly separated from police. Policing itself should be left to the professionals, with robust mechanisms for democratic and civilian control so as to assure its legitimacy and legality.
Civil society organizations
dedicated to oversight of police integrity.