NBP. Nauka, bezbednosti, policija

Impacts of Duty Belts and Load Placement on Police Officers: A Systematic Review

Nolan Berner — 2024-05-16

Background: Law enforcement officers (LEO) wear duty belts to hold the specialised equipment required to complete their daily occupational tasks. The aim of this review was to identify, collect, and synthesize research investigating the impacts of duty belts and load placement on LEOs. Methods: A systematic review, registered with the Open Science Framework, was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews guidelines. Five databases were searched (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science) with identified studies considered against eligibility criteria. Included studies were critically appraised by two reviewers independently using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist or the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool. Results: Ten studies (mean appraisal score = 79.8%; Kappa agreement = 0.73) informed the review revealing two main emerging themes; occupational impacts (task performance, vehicle duties, and weapon draw time), and movement impacts (balance, gait, and jump-based movements). Nine studies found duty belts and equipment loads, regardless of placement, negatively impacted LEO occupational tasks and movements in general. There were some differences in the nature of the impacts (e.g., areas of pressure with different systems). One study found no differences in performance be-tween hip versus thigh holsters. Conclusions: The evidence suggests that LEO duty belts, their attachments, and the loads imparted by their equipment have a negative impact on performance of occupational tasks as well as officer movement, increasing injury potential. There were some differences in impacts based on load placement warranting consideration and further research.

Police Officers' Opinions about Some Effects of the Use of Body Worn Cameras

Dragan Milidragović — 2024-03-04

In the last ten years, many police organizations around the word have been approaching the implementation of cameras that can be placed on the body of a police officer. By implementing these cameras, police organizations strive to prevent and suppress crime, to improve officer safety, officers’ performance and police - community relationship. In September 2023, the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs started with the pilot project of implementing body worn cameras (BWC) in two organizational units of the traffic police. The research presented in this paper was carried out before the idea of implementation BWC in Serbian police practice was born. The research included police officers from five organizational units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The aim of the research was to explore the views and opinions of police officers related to implementation of BWC. Research results and the authors' conclusions may help the decision-making process related to the BWC implementation in Serbian police practice.

Domestic Violence in Rural Serbia: Etiological-Phenomenological Approach

Snežana Soković — 2024-04-04

The aim of the paper is to point to the characteristics of domestic violence in rural areas of Serbia. Geographic isolation, traditional social patterns and cultural norms that characterize rural households contribute to the creation and maintenance of violent patterns of behavior in rural areas. Despite the legally guaranteed gender equality and protection against domestic violence, women in rural Serbia are recognized as a group particularly exposed to domestic violence due to the predominantly traditional beliefs and patterns of behavior in villages in Serbia. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to point to the etiological-phenomenological dimension of domestic violence in rural areas of Serbia. It is assumed that domestic violence in rural areas of Serbia is characterized by the high dark figures of the crime due to the fact that it is usually kept as a private matter, so it is difficult to see its real prevalence. For this reason, besides pointing to the characteristics of domestic violence in rural areas of Serbia, the aim of the paper is to point to the reasons for not reporting this violence, in order to contribute to the establishment of adequate responses to this type of violence, in accordance with its specificities.

Effectiveness of School Police Officer Engagement in Bullying Prevention and Intervention in Belgrade Secondary Schools

Adrijana Grmuša — 2024-05-13

Engagement of school police officers (SPOs) within the Serbian education system is an important element of the school’s cooperation with the environment in bullying prevention and intervention. However, there is a lack of empirical data on the effectiveness of SPO engagement. For this reason, this paper presents the results of a research on the current state of SPO engagement and the perception of the effectiveness of SPO engagement in bullying prevention and intervention by students and members of the Team for protection, conducted in 19 Belgrade secondary schools in the school year 2020/2021. Data on the current state of engagement were collected through observation, while data on perceptions of effectiveness were collected through interviews with 44 members of the Team for protection and a survey of 1,526 students. In terms of bullying prevention, this research has shown that SPO engagement has the potential to be effective by achieving a deterrent effect, but only if SPOs are present at the time when the risk of bullying incidents is highest. In terms of bullying intervention, the results indicate that although SPOs are willing to intervene, their engagement is not effective as only a small number of victims ask them for protection in bullying cases and only in 30% of cases SPO managed to help. The implication of this research refers to the need to improve the interaction between students and SPOs, primarily by strengthening SPOʼs educational role and providing SPOs with adequate training to perform their duties in school.

Problem-Solving Courts in Comparative Law: Combination of Therapy and Responsibility

Olga Tešović — 2024-03-26

This paper examines the innovative approach of problem-solving courts within the framework of comparative law, emphasizing the integration of therapeutic jurisprudence and individual criminal responsibility. By analyzing various models from different jurisdictions, the study highlights how these courts effectively address underlying issues in criminal behavior, such as substance abuse and mental health problems, through tailored interventions. The research draws on a comparative analysis to explore the effectiveness of these courts in reducing recidivism, enhancing offender rehabilitation, and promoting social reintegration. The paper also discusses the challenges and potential of this approach in balancing the goals of therapy and legal accountability. Through a comprehensive review of judicial, and policy frameworks, this study provides valuable insights into the evolving role of the judiciary in addressing complex social issues and the potential of problem-solving courts as a transformative tool in the criminal justice system.

Training and Education of Detectives: (Real) Need or Mere Formality

Đukić Siniša — 2024-06-07

This paper examines the issue of training and education of detectives as one of the prerequisites for high-quality and efficient performance of detective work. It is considered that the training should be, to the greatest extent possible, adapted to specific jobs and areas of detective work. Also, training should be part of the overall process of integrating detectives into the security system, that is, the private security sector. The concepts of detective training differ from country to country in terms of the content and structure of the program, duration, organization of implementation or non-implementation, which all together makes it very difficult to compare the results. There is no absolute standardization in this area, as well as relevant research on this topic and related areas. In this regard, the authors emphasize that detective training is an insufficiently researched issue that should be given much more attention. For the purposes of this paper, a comparative legal analysis of the legal regulations and by-laws that treat the models of detective training in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the surrounding countries - the Republic of Serbia, Montenegro and the Republic of Croatia - was performed. Based on the analysis, it can be concluded that different systems of training and education of candidates are in force, from the classic model where the curriculum is implemented according to the subject-modular concept, to mentoring work and internship practice. The aim of this work is to encourage a more comprehensive study of the training and education of detectives and to propose more adequate models suitable for the current time and the detective field of work.

Soft Power and Protection of the Constitutional Order

Srđan Milašinović — 2024-06-13