Based on anonymous reports, the actions and behavior of police officers in Plav were checked

The Council for Citizen Control of Police Work announced that they had received several signed and anonymous complaints related to the actions and behavior of police officers of the Security Department (OB) Plav.

It was decided, as they state, that all complaints related to OB Plav be combined into one case, and the Police Directorate is invited to inform about the allegations from them.

"The council, working on this case, primarily welcomed the anonymous appeal of a large number of citizens. Support for anonymous reporting of various irregularities in police practice and examples that undermine police morale are important for the overall building of trust. The council starts from the fact that solving problems, eliminating omissions , the establishment of better police practice is a more significant and important issue than identifying the one who reports an illegality or omission. Bearing in mind the nature and concept of the work of civil police supervision, the Council has an obligation and responsibility, before the public of Montenegro, to support and strengthen the mechanisms and anonymous reporting of bad of police action and behavior," the Council's announcement states.

They thanked the citizens for the submitted complaints, which, as they state, "proved to a significant extent to be well-founded."

"The Council assessed that regarding the observed and confirmed irregularities, the supposed seniors of OB Plav and the Police Administration did not ensure timeliness in their actions, which may contribute to the suspicion of the existence of an interest in tolerating and/or covering up the same.

"The council recognized the statement of a police officer regarding inappropriate activity at a private party, in which he included a minor, as a lack of responsibility and a complete relativization of an unacceptable behavior, and is especially concerned that this is tolerated by the head of OB Plav as well as other competent elders in the Administration of the police," the statement added.

The Council assessed that in this particular case the application of police powers was not adequate and that, upon learning of the incident against the police officer, in addition to initiating the procedure before the Ethics Committee, the officers of OB Plav should also have submitted a request for the conduct of misdemeanor proceedings due to a misdemeanor from Article 13 of the Law on public order and peace. It is the recommendation of the Council that this should be done now as well, they point out from that body.

The Council said that they expect the head of OB Plav, directly or through the director of the Police Directorate, to inform about the status, and then the outcome of criminal, misdemeanor, disciplinary and proceedings before the Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which refer to police officers of OB Plav.

"Finally, the council sent a recommendation to the director of the Police Administration and the head of the Plav Police Department to draw the attention of all police officers to the attention of all police officers, through appropriate instructions or in another way, not to spend their breaks during the working day, as well as their free time outside of work, in catering establishments that are not in business in accordance with positive regulations and good business practice," the announcement concludes.