Out of 168 attacks on official persons, majority against police officers

The suspects, according to the police, were on the run in their car after they disobeyed the patrol orders that were blocked by the car, hit on the road, and then fired at three law officials who received bodily injuries only from the accident.

Officer Karadza, who was involved in this action, which resulted in the arrest of one of four suspects, says that prior to the gunfight, their vehicle was hit by cars of people who had just committed a theft.

Right after the crash, the suspected persons were out of the car and immediately fired at us with a firearm, and at that moment we've been countering them with firearms. Fortunately, there were no people injured. After the use of firearms, suspicious people have fled running toward Freedom Park field, relates Karaja.

As he continues his confession, 29-year-old policeman adds that such attacks are more rare than what he calls physical resistance.

We're after them in a courtyard where there's no bush we've been able to arrest a person we've followed to the police station... Risk has been high, given that we've had the distance, approximately three to four meters, but fortunately there haven't been people injured”, he goes on.

Karaja reports that for injuries sustained during the accident, they have been treated in the emergency of the Gjakova Regional Hospital.

But this is just one of more than 168 cases of attacks on official persons in the conduct of office. In such cases, not only do police officers enter, but other officials.

According to Kosovo Police spokesman Bajram Krasniqi, the exact number of attacks on his colleagues, in office, is not known because the rate of cases is made based on Article 410 of the Criminal Code, which includes officials of other institutions.

“this year, from January 1st to the end of October, there have been 168 cases, attacks on the official person. I want to mention once again that these 168 cases are not all attacks on police officers, but there are also attacks on other institutions” officials, Krasniqi explains.

Although a special ranking is lacking on the database, more attacks on police officers than other officials are observed in twenty-four-hour reports.

On the basis of that, we note that there are, perhaps, more attacks on the police, given the other fact that police are among the largest institutions, and in this figure that I gave it, the possibility that there will be more cases against the police, the attack on police, is greater than the other officials. However, as the Penal Code envisions only such appointment, we in our records identify it as such”, the spokesman Krasniqi continues on.

Even though Kosovo rule forces still do not have health insurance for injuries they get during the post, Krasniqi says they are provided treatment by the institution in which they work.

“Under the General Directorate and within the Police there is a Health Services Director, who immediately but once he gets such information, cares and we have some opportunities to provide dignified police services, even medically, even in terms of psychological support”, he adds.

While condemning attacks on colleagues, Police Union Deputy Chairman Shaban Tasholli asks citizens to follow legal ways for their complaints.

We as unions have always condemned these cases, and unfortunately we have a case, we have even appealed to the courts to make attacks on police officers to take appropriate measures against them, and we think they are being taken judicial measures against them. We also always appeal to citizens to be fair to the police, if there's a complaint, they can file professional standards on us and on the Police Inspectorate”, he says.

Disturbing, he says, remains the lack of health insurance, despite continued demands for more than a decade.

We've always made requests to the Ministry and Government, that the only police in the world are that we don't have health insurance. That's also a possible lack of our work, which makes us feel uncomfortable, yet duty injuries are paid to us by the Police Directorate. It's a delay, but health insurance does not exist overall and it's a failure for the entire Kosovo Police”, Tasholli points out.

In the Police Information Office, they say they have no record showing that any member of the law force has been forced to quit work because of injuries taken in office.

In contrast, since the end of the last war, 19 police officials have lost their lives in office. The first case was recorded in September 2001, and the last in April of this year.

With legislation in effect, the right to compensation from the state budget belongs to two categories: the family of police officials who die in office and those who are in charge. / REL/