Nothing to be done about them without them: The Slovenian National Police and Roma joint-training program

Abstract

This research contributes to police policy formation aiming to confront Roma social and political exclusion in Europe. Since Roma are technically protected by European national constitutions, as well as by the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and other human rights declarations, how Roma are handled by national governments, and in particular the police who may regularly encounter them in daily life, becomes an important part of whether the promises of democracy and multiculturalism can be achieved in actuality. This research outlines promises and challenges faced by a unique Slovenian joint-training program and suggests that a program which leverages relationships with the diverse communities that are Roma-identified can have benefits beyond merely educating police officers. The main methodologies used to document and asses the training program and its community effects were police focus groups and semi-structured interviews with past participants in the program, from both the Roma and non-Roma communities, as well as semi-structured interviews with other community stakeholders. The research shows that increased confidence in the police and community problem solving and dialogue may be attributed to a police focus on Roma-related joint training.

Keywords:

• police
• Roma
• community
• training
• Slovenia

Acknowledgment

This research has been supported by grants from the US. State Department International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) and the Professional Staff Congress of the City University of New York (PSC-CUNY).

Notes

1. 1. The Roma symbols (Djurić, Acković, & Horvat Muc, 2011), The history of Roma literature (Djurić & Horvat Muc, 2010), The basics of Roma language (Horvat Muc, 2011), The Roma speller (Horvat Muc & Djurić, 2012), etc.

2. 2. See D.H. v. Czech Republic (2008, European Court of Human Rights).

3. 3. First Roma female police officer in Europe – 2007, Born in high heels – 2012.

4. 4. There is also a more hereditary definition of being Slovenian apparent at the National Museum. The display explained: “The Slovenes are an amalgamation of tribes and people who lived in close contact and intermixed over a long period. At the end of this process and after settling in the present-day Slovene territory the Slavic stock prevailed.”