Tajana Ljubin Golub

Policing in Croatia: The Main Challenges on the Path to Democratic Policing

The Croatian police force is a national police force with 20,697 officers. The process of transition from a Communist to a democratic regime was exacerbated by the experience of war, since the role of the Croatian police, at the very time of its creation, was primarily defensive. Although the history of the Croatian police spans a relatively short time-frame, it shows a number of reforms directed toward the development of democratic principles and strengthening the rule of law. Some reform ideas have remained at the level of political rhetoric, but many have been implemented. There is no doubt that reforms will be an ongoing topic for discussion in the Croatian police force. Some phrases that have been repeatedly emphasized as the key objectives of these reforms—depoliticization, professionalism, transparency, integrity, and accountability, continue to represent constant challenges for the Croatian Police.