Plural Policing in Slovenia: Similar Tasks and Powers, Different Supervisory and Appeal Procedures?

Abstract

Plural policing in Slovenia is carried out by state (police, judicial police, customs or financial administration, military police, etc.) as well as local (municipal warden services) and even private police-security organizations and activities (private security and private detective activity). This article focuses on the police, municipal warden services, private security and private detective activities and finds out that all four organisations/activities share similar tasks and especially similar powers/measures/entitlements that interfere with basic human rights and freedoms on a daily basis. The state has given them tools (powers) to be effective in enforcing order, laws, security, rules, etc., and at the same time it has established certain control mechanisms over them, which are quite different, especially when it comes to appeal procedures. Thus, the powers of municipal wardens, measures of private security officers and the entitlements of private detectives are close to those of police officers, but there are no appeal procedures against these professional groups comparable to those against police officers (conciliation, senate proceedings, complainant's participation, public representative's participation, etc.). This requires further study and the search for opportunities for appropriate harmonization of appeal procedures in the institutions of plural policing, since the same or similar encroachments on basic human rights and freedoms require the same or similar mechanisms to address them.