The Changing Functions of the Police and Armed Forces (in Extraordinary Situations) in Slovenia

Abstract

The goal of the paper is to examine the changes of the traditional functions of the police and armed forces. In a state of war or state of emergency, especially in small countries like Slovenia, sometimes it is necessary to use all capabilities and resources to tackle security problems. This leads to unconventional tasks and responsibilities of the police and armed forces, primarily but not exclusively in extraordinary security situations. While one can point out many reasons/factors for such changes, only two of the most significant factors are discussed in this paper. The first factor represents the contemporary security threats which are highly dynamic, thus the agencies that provide security must be able to adjust and react in due time. The second factor is a process of securitisation, where political elites solely decide what security issues are the main threats to society. Consequently, they also define the functions of the police and armed forces, and in both cases, the distinction between the functions of the two is more and more blurred. A literature review suggests, that in many countries, the police take part in military-style missions or/and are equipped with military means, while the policing is done by various non-police agencies, including the armed forces. Both processes, the first that can be called "the militarisation of the police" and the second "the, policisation of the armed forces", are not entirely new phenomena and they seem to be cyclical. This study, based on descriptive and comparative analyses of the changing functions of the police and armed forces over the last thirty years, shows that Slovenia is not immune to the processes described. In Slovenia, the armed forces are given some tasks and powers in internal security matters. The police forces are expected to take part in military missions during a potential war while the proposed changes to police legislation suggest that a special police unit should be additionally equipped with military weapons and means, already in peacetime. This seems to be a relatively strong sign of police militarisation, bearing in mind stable security circumstances in Slovenia in the present. The paper also stresses the importance of consensus among political elites, security experts and civil society about the basic functions of the police and the armed forces, which is not easy to achieve, especially in a rapidly changing security environment.