KARAN: POSSIBILITY OF FORMING AUXILIARY POLICE FORCE PROPOSED

BANJA LUKA, JULY 2 /SRNA/ – Republika Srpska Minister of Internal Affairs Siniša Karan stated in the National Assembly that the proposed Law on Amendments to the Law on Police and Internal Affairs introduces the possibility of forming an auxiliary police force that would be engaged as needed to ensure a higher level of security and more effective action during natural disasters, epidemics, or an influx of illegal migrants.

Karan explained that the reasons for adopting this law lie in the need to legally define the formal and legal conditions for establishing an auxiliary police force to raise security to a higher level, especially during emergencies caused by humanitarian crises. “In the previous period, we witnessed sudden dangers to life, health, and property of the population caused by natural or human factors, such as floods, fires, landslides, and other unpredictable situations occurring throughout Republika Srpska, as well as global events like the COVID-19 epidemic, which affected the entire territory of Srpska and required an organized institutional response,” said Karan while presenting the act, which is before deputies under urgent procedure. He stated that forming an auxiliary police force would enable the Ministry to respond more efficiently to challenges, as practice has shown that the active number of police officers is insufficient in emergencies and that certain circumstances require the engagement of a greater number of officers – specifically individuals who have undergone appropriate training and acquired necessary knowledge to provide an effective response in such situations where rapid reaction is often key to success. “In addition to emergencies caused by natural disasters and epidemics, we have also been facing the problem of an influx of illegal migrants for an extended period, which, apart from creating a humanitarian crisis, also poses a security threat,” Karan emphasized. He stated that from January 1, 2017, to date, more than 40,000 illegal migrants have been registered in Republika Srpska. During that period, MOI officers filed 161 criminal reports against 237 perpetrators, with 1,310 citizens of Srpska recorded as victims. “This is just another argument for those who claim that the issue of migrants is not a matter of internal security,” Karan added. He noted that MOI Republika Srpska is constantly facing staff shortages and that currently more than 1,000 police officers are lacking. Karan stated that in the area of crime in 2024, compared to 2023, the number of criminal offenses decreased by 4.9 percent, while the clearance rate increased by 1.7 percent. He explained that the auxiliary police force would be engaged only when there is a need to supplement the number of officers in certain tasks and that the number of members in this auxiliary force should not exceed 20 percent of the number of regular police officers. “To all those who see hidden intentions in this, one could ask – are they against saving lives, protecting property?” Karan said. He emphasized that implementing the law would not require additional funds from the budget, as members of the auxiliary force would only receive compensation during their engagement. He added that countries in the region already have auxiliary police forces established. Speaking about statements from the Federation of BiH regarding the formation of an auxiliary police force, Karan questioned whether the hostility towards Republika Srpska in the other entity is stronger than the desire to save lives. He concluded by saying that the proposed act is in accordance with the constitutional competencies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Srpska.