Police Training and Education: The Croatian Perspective

Abstract

The police educational system in Croatia consists of three fundamental components: basic education and training (schooling and retraining of new police officers); professional improvement, specialization, vocational training as the system of permanent lifelong education of police officers which starts with entering the police and ends with retirement; university and college degree. The organizational structure of the Croatian Police Academy reflects this classification so there are three main educational organizational units in the Police Academy: the Police School, the Department for Professional Improvement and Specialization, and the Police College. During recent years, the Croatian Ministry of the Interior has been making significant changes. War and postwar police has been transforming into a new one, which is suitable for a modern democratic world. The war caused great changes in the number and the educational level of police officers so the educational system is one of the main resources of changes and progress. This gives particular meaning to the discussion about reform at the Police Academy and the Police College.