Through the Law on Police, which took effect on 18 July, 1998, the police service became a body within the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Slovenia.

The police has truly gained its independence, however, the Ministry will continue to define the developmental, organisational, personnel and other basic orientations for its work, take care of its financial management and investments as well as co-ordinate and harmonise the police information and telecommunication systems with the systems of other state bodies. The Ministry will also direct and monitor the performance of police tasks. The goal of this reorganisation is a modern police organisation in line with European standards, able to efficiently respond to the challenges of modern life and ensure a high safety level. Therefore, this rationalisation of the police organisation makes it even more flexible and citizen-friendly.

Pursuant to the law, the police performs its tasks at three levels: the state, the regional and the local levels. Organisationally, it is composed of General Police Directorate, Police Directorates and police stations. The police headquarters are in Ljubljana.

The Police service is headed by the Director General of the Police, who also conducts the work of the General Police Directorate. The Director General of the Police and his or her deputy are discharged by the government of the Republic of Slovenia on the proposal of the Minister.

Pursuant to the law, the police service performs the following tasks:

1. protecting life, personal safety and property of people;
2. preventing, discovering and inspecting penal acts and minor offences, discovering and arresting those committing penal acts and minor offences, other wanted persons and their extradition to the authorised bodies;
3. maintaining public order;
4. control and regulation of traffic on public roads and non-categorised roads used for public traffic;
5. protecting the state border and performing border control;
6. performing tasks defined in the regulations about foreigners;
7. protecting certain persons, bodies, buildings and districts;
8. protecting certain working places and the secrecy of information of state bodies, if not otherwise defined by law; and
9. performing tasks defined in the Law on Police and other laws and secondary legislation documents.

Mission, vision and values of the Police
(from the Medium Term Police Plan 2008 - 2012)

Annual reports on the work of the Police