Police Directorate of Montenegro

The Police Directorate of Montenegro (Montenegrin Cyrillic: Полиција Црне Горе, Latin: Uprava Policje Crne Gore) is the national police of Montenegro.

Police Directorate of Montenegro
Uprava Policije Crne Gore
Emblem of the Montenegro Police
Emblem of the Montenegro Police
Badge of the Montenegro Police
Badge of the Montenegro Police
Common namePolicija Crne Gore
Agency overview
Formed1994
Preceding agency
Employees4,282
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionMontenegro
Governing bodyGovernment of Montenegro
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersPodgorica, 22 Svetog Petra Cetinjskog Boulevard
Sworn members4,077
Unsworn members205
Minister responsible
  • Danilo Šaranović, Minister of Internal Affairs
Agency executive
  • Zoran Brđanin, Police Director
Facilities
Regional Police Units4
Website
www.gov.me/mup/policija

Organization

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Police Directorate of Montenegro is a law enforcement agency within Ministry of Interior, maintaining full operational independence in police matters, while Ministry is responsible for budgetary matters, administrative issues, human resources management and oversight roles (Internal affairs, Disciplinary Commision, Board of Ethics).

Police Directorate is headed by the Director of Police Directorate, appointed by the Minister of Interior for a five year term, based on the outcome of public application and selection process. Officers directly subordinate to the Director are Deputy directors, each heading a Department with national jurisdiction; as well as Heads of Regional police units, responsible for local law enforcement duties within territorial jurisdiction of their Regional police unit.

Application process for Director and Deputy directors is open for public prosecutors, judges and officers of both Military of Montenegro and National Security Agency of Montenegro, with specific stipulations regarding experience in management roles; while all other heads of internal subdivisions can only be appointed from senior police officer cadre.

Currently valid Bylaw on Organization and structure of the Ministry of Interior defines Police Directorate with five departments and four regional units:

  • General police department
  • Criminal investigations department
  • Border police department
  • Special purpose police department
  • Financial intelligence unit

Regional police units are

  • Regional police unit South (Subdivisions Herceg Novi, Kotor, Tivat, Budva, Bar, Ulcinj)
  • Regional police unit West (Subdivisions Nikšić, Pljevlja, Šavnik, Žabljak, Plužine)
  • Regional police unit North (Subdivisions Bijelo Polje, Berane, Mojkovac, Kolašin, Plav, Rožaje, Andrijevica, Petnjica, Gusinje)
  • Regional police unit Center (Subdivisions Podgorica, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Tuzi, Zeta)

Besides aforementioned operative subdivisions, Police directorate also has several support units - Forensics Center and units tasked with analytics, external coordination, administration of electronic / digital police assets etc.

Bylaw on Organization and structure of the Ministry of Interior envisions Police Directorate with 5,376 police officers. However, actual number of employed officers is considerably lower, with some departments being chronically understaffed.

Resources

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Montenegro Police car

With one police officer per 141 inhabitants, Montenegro has the second highest number of police officers per capita in Europe, after Monaco.[1]

Police Headquarters building is located on 22 Svetog Petra Cetinjskog Boulevard, Podgorica. It was erected in 2010 and has 9,360 m2 (100,800 sq ft). The Police Academy is located in Danilovgrad, and provides both basic police education, and professional and specialized training. The Forensic Center is also located in Danilovgrad.

Montenegro's Civil Police Aviation Unit forms part of the Montenegro Government Aviation Unit, and purchased its first aircraft in 1972, with three more SA341 Gazelles transferred from the military air force in the 1990s.[2] Aviation unit also operates two Augusta-Bell AB412. All helicopters are based at Golubovci Airport, Podgorica.[3]

Police Directors

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  • Veselin Veljović (October 2005 – December 2011)
  • Božidar Vuksanović (December 2011 – February 2013, acting director)
  • Slavko Stojanović (February 2013 – March 2018)
  • Vesko Damjanović (March 2018 – July 2018, acting director)
  • Veselin Veljović (July 2018 – December 2020)
  • Vesko Damjanović (December 2020 – February 2021, acting director)
  • Zoran Brđanin (February 2021 – March 2023)
  • Nikola Terzić (March 2023 – December 2023, acting director)
  • Zoran Brđanin (December 2023 – March 2024)
  • Aleksandar Radović (March 2024 – July 2024, acting director)
  • Zoran Brđanin (July 2024 – present)

Ranks

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Officers

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Police Executive Police Inspectors
  Montenegro                  
Direktor policije Pomoćnik
direktora policije
Glavni
policijski inspektor
Viši policijski inspektor
I klase
Viši
policijski inspektor
Samostalni
policijski inspektor
Policijski inspektor
I klase
Policijski inspektor Mlađi
policijski inspektor
Police Director Deputy
Police Director
Chief
Police Inspector
Senior Police Inspector
I class
Senior
Police Inspector
Independent
Police Inspector
Police Inspector
I class
Police Inspector Junior
Police Inspector

Enlisted

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Police Sergeants Police Officers
  Montenegro            
Stariji policijski narednik
I klase
Stariji
policijski narednik
Policijski narednik Stariji policajac
I klase
Stariji policajac Policajac
Senior Police Sergeant
I class
Senior
Police Sergeant
Police Sergeant Senior Police Officer
I class
Senior
Police Officer
Police Officer

Controversies

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In June 2023, the anti-torture committee of the Council of Europe urged Montenegro to investigate police brutality. Europol published a report on 23 March 2022 that included photos of police officers torturing prisoners.[4][5] The report cited various instances of alleged mistreatment of prisoners including falaka, genital torture, electrical shocks, asphyxiation as well as threats of rape and threats against the children and other family members of prisoners. In response, the Montenegrin Government has expressed willingness to follow the recommendations brought forward by the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).[6][7][8]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Gajić, Novak. Police Reform in Montenegro 2011-2019 (PDF).
  2. ^ Aeroflight Montenegro Police profile Archived 2007-03-19 at the Wayback Machine retrieved on May 19, 2007
  3. ^ International Air Power Review Vol.9 p. 90-91
  4. ^ Kajosevic, Samir (22 June 2023). "CoE Report Urges Montenegro to Investigate Police Brutality". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  5. ^ Kajosevic, Samir (24 March 2023). "Montenegro Urged to Probe Photos of Police Brutality, Gang Links". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Council of Europe anti-torture Committee (CPT) publishes report on its 2022 ad hoc visit to Montenegro - CPT - www.coe.int". CPT. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Report". coe.int. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Response". coe.int. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
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