Linkage of the Slovene security forces with local communities (1850-2010)

Abstract

From the very establishment of state security forces operating on the territory of the present Republic of Slovenia, there have been various forms of integration of these forces with local self-government and, in particular, with the population These forces have consisted of constables, state police, militia and, at present, police officers This linkage has become even more profound over the course of time and has gained new forms. The link between the security forces and local communities has depended on various factors, including the provisions of basic regulations, rules governing the exercise of service, the participation of local communities in providing financial support for the security forces, the organisation of the security forces for their operation among the population, awareness among the population of the importance of police preventive activities, scientific findings about the causes of deviant behaviour, education, training and advanced study of police officers, provisions of regulations on the role of local self-government communities in the field of local safety, and a number of other circumstances From the very beginning of the operation of the security forces until today, that is 160 years, the most frequent form of link between the police and the population has been patrolling the beat Conditions in towns in particular have required the police management to direct police officers to smaller circuits, known as surveillance circuits When specialization of police work occurred, sectors were established At the railway, a sector constituted a section of railway line, on the roads, a given section of principal public roads or one of them, and at the state border a frontier crossing