FROM THE HISTORY OF POLICE EDUCATION

First particular beginning of police education in Serbia was found in the study visit of former Minister Djordje Čengić to Police of Germany and Switzerland.

Since the establishment of gendarmerie in 1860 in Serbia, there had been a need for thorough training of gendarmes, esp. in Belgrade. According to needs, prominent police members held lessons to the members of gendarmerie. First lectures for gendarmerie were periodical, unsystematic and without defined curriculum, but still important, because they represented the first steps in training and education of Serbian gendarmerie. First vocational lectures date from 1880, 1883 and 1884, when Mr. Tanasije Tasa Milenković, member of the Belgrade Police, gave lectures about police service to the gendarmes in the Command, and to non-commissioned officers of the gendarmerie.

First school for gendarmes was founded in 1899 and it was situated in Dorćol. It was closed a year after. Constant school for gendarmerie was founded in 1909, i.e. courses and regular lectures began. In the beginning courses in the school lasted for three and later for four months. Classes were divided into military and police subjects.

After the World War I, training and education of gendarmerie was approached more seriously. It was realized in the fact that the teaching in gendarmerie was lawfully regulated, so the total system of education of this formation was created between the two World Wars.

Lectures were conducted in the stations of the gendarmerie (Training and education of gendarmes in the stations of the gendarmerie was permanent. Commander of the station of the gendarmerie, oldest and best gendarmes and sergeants had the main role in it.) and vocational schools of the gendarmerie: (a) Preparatory schools for the gendarmerie;
(b) Schools for patrol leaders;
(c) School for non-commissioned officers of the gendarmerie;
(d) Informative courses for the offices of the gendarmerie.

Goal and objective of the Preparatory school for the gendarmerie was to qualify a young gendarme who had just enlisted in the gendarmerie for individual performance of services and duties. Courses lasted for three months.

Goal and objective of the School for patrol leaders was to qualify a number of gendarmes for leadership of patrols and provide sufficient number of patrol leaders who will contribute to successful performance of services in regions of gendarmerie stations. Courses lasted for four months.

Goal and objective of the School for non-commissioned officers of the gendarmerie was to prepare well-trained non-commissioned officers and in that way provide sufficient number of non-commissioned officers of the gendarmerie, i.e. senior officers of gendarmerie stations and their representatives. Course lasted for six months.

Informative course for the officers of the gendarmerie was held in Sremska Kamenica within the School for non-commissioned officers of the gendarmerie. It was established for training and professional development of active and reserve officers who enlisted in the gendarmerie. Course lasted for three months.
Besides mentioned forms of education and training, gendarmes were professionally developed by specialized courses for special services: telegraphic-telephone courses, skiing course, driving motorcycle course and K9 handler course.

First Police school in Belgrade, so-called Rice’s Police School was opened on 8 February 1921. Its founder and principle was Dr Archibald Rice. It was a private boarding school. Course lasted for four months. Teachers were practice experts and university professors. Due to insufficient support of the authorities, the school worked for only two years. School achieved great success and it was proved that the best investigators were the ones who graduated from it.

Central Police School in Zemun was established on 10 February 1931. Its goal was to:
1. Professionally educate and prepare police guards (trainees) and police agents (trainees) for police executive service;
2. Professionally educate and prepare police guards and police agents for supervisory officers and senior officers of police guards and police agents.

In the Central school, the following courses were organized:
1. Course for police guards (trainees);
2. Course for sub-supervisors of the police guard;
3. Course for commanders and supervisors of police guard;
4. Course for police agents – trainees;
5. Course for drivers, supervisors and sub-supervisors of agents.
As a rule, courses lasted for six months.

In immediate pre-war period and during the World War II and anti-fascist fight, police development was interrupted, and its educational system. In war conditions professional development was not possible, esp. education of the members of first units of the National Police. Its training and professional development was done through practice. First foundations of new educational system were set after the liberation of Belgrade. Selection of candidates for national police officers in the capital began on 6 November 1944. In immediate pre-war period organization of police courses commenced. For that occasion, curricula that involved military and vocational subjects were made. Temporary manuals were used as teaching aids.

College of the Directorate for State Safety, Federal National Republic of Yugoslavia (UDB FNRJ)
was founded in September 1949 and it was opened until 1953. College had the status of faculty and its students were young people who finished grammar school, teacher-training school and the like. College of the UDB FNRJ lasted for three years. Curricula consisted of the following fields: /1/ vocational, /2/ legal-political, /3/ military, /4/ foreign languages, and /5/ specialized courses. Studying conditions were strictly as a boarding school. Its attendants were released from serving the army. Two generations of students finished the school: one from 1949 to 1952 and other from 1950 to 1953.

College for Internal Administration was founded on 1 September 1953. Principle of the newly established school was renowned Prof. Milan Milutinović, Ph.D., who was on the position until 1959. Officers of internal affairs sector, who completed at least six grades in grammar school, or appropriate number of grades in high school, could enroll the college. Education lasted for two years. Attendants were obliged to complete practice in organizational units of internal affairs sector and take the final exam in subjects related to criminal or administrative law. College for internal administration was opened until 1967 and current police schools were established afterwards.

Police High School, placed in Sremska Kamenica, was established on 1 September 1967. Nowadays, it is an organizational unit of the Ministry of Interior, lasting for four years and providing high school education to the uniform police members. Besides, in competence of the school is the organization of general courses for police officers trainees that are held in Klisa (near Novi Sad) and last for 6 months. The school also organizes other (basic) courses: for policewomen, gendarmerie etc.

Police College was established on 13 July 1972 by the Law on Police College. The Police College had the status of independent institution until 1991, and since then, it is a special organizational unit of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia. In addition, it is a part of the educational system whose work is governed by higher education regulations. Main activities of the Police College are vocational and scientific education for performing work in public and state safety, and permanent training of police personnel. Research and development, mentoring and extracurricular activities are complementary to the main activities. Support work is the following: students standard, cybernetic and educational development, publishing and logistic support.

Police Academy was established in 1993 as an institution involved in educational and scientific activities with importance for safety and police work. The Academy has three main activities:
1. Education;
2. Scientific-research;
3. Publishing.

After graduation from basic studies that last for four years, students acquire higher education qualification of B.Sc. (Officer of the police). After master’s degree, which lasts for two years, diploma of M.Sc. is acquired. Basic researches, applied researches and R&D are performed on the Academy in fields of criminal and safety.

Training Center, as a special organizational unit of the Ministry of Interior, was founded in April 2003. The Training Center is responsible for joint, planned and systematic organization and realization of professional development of the members of the Sector for Public Safety of the Ministry of Interior.

Directorate for Police Education, Professional Development and Science was established in 2004. Main task of the Directorate is performing activities related to creation and realization of personnel education in order to acquire high and higher education, as well as professional development of the members of the Ministry (training). Scientific research in the interest of police, publishing for the needs of education and professional development and logistic activities in the function of education are performed within the Directorate.

The Directorate includes the Police College, the Police High School and the Training Center.