Over 900 complaints to Kosovo police officers, over 118 suspended

Over 900 complaints have handed out citizens at the Kosovo Police Inspectorate. This institution during this year has recommended the suspension of over 100 police officers, meanwhile, over 90 are under arrest. The IPK chief executive chief also speaks of the case allegedly attacking former Skyright Vice President Nuredin Lushtaku towards the two police officials in Skenderaj.

Chief Chief Prosecutor Hodaj tells Kosovo Press that even this year there is a large number of complaints for Kosovo Police members.

Even this year has been a relatively high number, from January 1st to today we have accepted over 900 complaints, which are being addressed and treated in relevant departments at the IPK... there are complaints of various police behavior, starting with abuse during the exercise of official office, for misuse, for taking bribes in some cases, for improper conduct, for disinclination in the pronunciation of fines in the counterinstance of”, he declares.

The police inspector has also conducted the extensive operation, codenamed “Pica 1” and “Pica 2”, where over 70 Kosovo Police members have been arrested and suspended.

This year we have had the largest number of recommendations for suspension and arrests. Because of the two cases we have conducted in the fight against corruption, cases related to corrupt policemen at the border at three border points. Or the known operations (point one, point two), where 76 police officers have been arrested and suspended in only those two cases. The total number of suspended during these seven months exceeds 117 or 118 officials, and over 90 officials are arrested”, he adds.

Hodaj also speaks of the first incident several days before two police officials, including the suspects, is former Skenderaj deputy head Nuredin Lushtaku. In this case, two police officials have been injured.

He stresses that until this phase of investigations, police have reportedly been attacked and forced to use force.

The attorney's initial assessment of the caretakers and investigators has been that at this stage there is no doubt about police officials involved in criminal acts. And at the moment we're talking there's no doubt about police officials, then it's at the disposal of the Kosovo Police and Prosecutor's Office to further conduct investigations. We are conveying as a case, the moment there is information and evidence emerging that enforces police officials in violation or in excess of force or use of weapons outside the rules Kosovo Police envisions, of course we will lock up and take the necessary investigative actions”, notes Hodaj for KosovaPress.

However, the IPK chief executive chief adds that overuse of force is one of the typical works in the police.

The passing of force use or mistreatment during the exercise of official duty or causing injury to citizens is one of the typical acts usually occurring in the police, because police are authorized to use force and when it is exceeded then constitutes violations and criminal acts. Of course, it is often a thin line that separates the use of force based on police regulations. In this case, it has been reported as a case of force use and is being investigated by the internal police commissions, but we are also forwarding it in co-operation with the prosecutor responsible for identifying the actions of police who are contrary to the rules and law, of course, actions will also be taken against police officials”, he says.

Four years ago, the Kosovo Police Inspectorate has demanded the suspension of over 90 police officials, allegedly having mental health problems. They are former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army with status of the disabled.

For this case, criminal gossip has been established, which is being addressed at the Founding Prosecutor in Pristina.

The “concerns the disabled case of the Kosovo Liberation Army, or the disabled who are part of the Kosovo Police. At the time, it has been a recommendation because it has estimated that during the development of investigations, one part of which had health problems, should be suspended. However, there has been a process that has been repossessed into checks, and most of them have proved to have no health problems. But, we have also set up criminal speculation about this category and for this number of employees, and the case is being handled at the Founding Prosecutor in Pristina”, Hodaj concludes.

The Kosovo Police Inspectorate over the past year has addressed over two thousand citizens' complaints to Kosovo Police members.