Cabinet: Police Chief Should Be Selected under More Stringent Rules
Bratislava, September 26 (TASR) – The police chief is set to be chosen under new and more stringent rules, with the Cabinet approving a draft law on the Police Corps to this effect at its session on Wednesday.
The original proposal mentioned a seven-year tenure for the Police Corps president, whereas the new and approved one speaks about a four-year tenure with the possibility of reappointment. The Interior Ministry submitted the original proposal a few weeks ago, but it was rejected due to disagreement over the tenure of the police chief.
According to the new rules, the police chief should be appointed by the interior minister, as is the case at the moment, but the appointment will be preceded by a public competition and a recommendation from the parliamentary defence and security committee. So, in order for the new police chief to be appointed, agreement between a seven-member selection commission, the defence and security committee and the interior minister will be required.
In line with the draft law, the minister should be able to dismiss the police chief for serious reasons that would have to be approved by a three-fifths majority of all defence and security committee members.
Changes are also likely to be introduced in police inspections, as the new bill mentions the setting up of an Inspection Service Office aimed at detecting and investigating the crimes of security corps members as well as monitoring police activities.
The Interior Ministry wants the amendment to come into effect as of January 1, 2019.
