Roma police officers bridge to majority population

Ljubljana, 13 January - Members of the Roma community work in various jobs in Slovenia, including in the police force, presenting a bridge between their community and the majority population. A Roma police officer, only one of four in the country, has told the STA that she sees a lack of dialogue and distrust between the two communities as the biggest challenge.

Postojna Police car. Photo: STA File photo

Postojna
Police car.
Photo: STA
File photo

The Roma policewoman, who works for the Murska Sobota Police Department in Prekmurje, northeast, which is home to a large Roma community, says her work is quite varied.

It ranges from advising her colleagues on how to work with Roma to getting involved in various events.

"Above all, I'm a bridge of communication between Roma and others," she wrote in a statement for the STA on condition of anonymity.

She is part of uniformed police units, working on Roma and multiculturalism challenges.

She joined the police force during the Covid-19 pandemic out of her desire for security and stability, and it took her six months to acquire the skills for the job.

She admits that working with Roma has many challenges for a variety of reasons, including historical, cultural and socio-economic ones, with Roma being suspicious of the majority population.

"Members of the Roma community may see police officers as biased and unfair." As a result, they may feel that she is working against them as a police officer.

When dealing with Roma challenges, decision-makers should according to her follow a comprehensive and sustainable approach based on respect for human rights, the inclusion of Roma in decision-making and the elimination of social and economic inequalities.

She finds cooperation between state agencies, local communities, NGOs and Roma to be of key importance.

Apart from her, there are three male Roma officers in the police force, but Manuel Vesel from the Police Academy would like to see more Roma in the force.

He told the STA in an interview last month that them speaking the Romani language makes them very important in carrying out activities related to the Roma community.

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