On the proposal of the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton, the Government of Sarajevo Canton adopted a Regulation on the Conditions, Procedure, and Competences for Selecting and Sending Police Officers for Education Abroad. This new legal act, prescribed by amendments to the Law on Police Officers of Sarajevo Canton, was adopted at the beginning of the year.
According to the new provisions of the law, if necessary, the police authority can send police officers for additional education. The regulation applies only to police officers with the rank of police officer, senior police officer, sergeant, and senior sergeant. Education can be full-time or part-time in educational institutions abroad, where police officers will be sent to obtain an educational qualification equivalent to higher education under the Bologna system, valued at a minimum of 240 ECTS credits.
“In this way, we are opening opportunities for police officers to receive additional education and professional development through specialized study and advanced training programs. This is also how we build a professional, educated, and efficient police force, while creating new opportunities in life for our officers, knowing that only a satisfied police officer can do their job well and serve the citizens,” said Sarajevo Canton Minister of Interior, Admir Katica.
The education of police officers will be funded from the budget of the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton – Police Directorate, as well as through program funds, donations, international projects, and agreements with partner police and other institutions.
To meet the requirements for this education, police officers must be employed with the Police Directorate of the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton in the aforementioned ranks, and prove that they are not temporarily suspended from the police authority and that no criminal or internal proceedings for a serious breach of official duty are pending against them. Depending on the educational institution to which they are being sent, specific conditions will also be prescribed.
The selection of police officers for additional education will be conducted based on an internal vacancy announcement, and the procedure will be carried out by a competent commission. The candidate selection process will include both written and oral testing. Every police officer sent to this type of education will be required to remain employed with the Police Directorate for at least twice as long as the time spent in education.
Police officers who complete education equivalent to higher education under the Bologna system, valued at a minimum of 240 ECTS credits at an accredited higher education institution, will be granted the rank of “junior inspector” after their degree is recognized by a higher education institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
