Few things have had such an impact on the Slovenian police as information technology, because the data provided by information and communication technology (ICT) form the bedrock of all tasks, decisions or reports that are performed, adopted or compiled by the Slovenian police. Today, one cannot imagine policing without the radio communications, computer, web technology and other systems, equipment and devices operated by the IT and Telecommunications Office which enable us to perform everyday police tasks.
The Slovenian police was among the first organisations in Slovenia to successfully introduce the latest technological solutions and develop a secure communications network. Meanwhile, the organisation of this field of work has changed so that users are able to manage modern information and telecommunications services as effectively as possible.
Over time, the police connected with the information systems of other organisations and introduced e-administration solutions and e-services for citizens. We have further integrated our system into supranational systems such as Interpol, Europol’s information system and the Schengen Information System. All this has entailed upgrades and new solutions and an overhaul of the relevant infrastructure.
Information and communication support in the background of almost every police task
As security problems increasingly move online, the police are building new solutions to better support the investigation of criminal acts in the field of cyber-crime and to protect their own ITC system, while being aware of the importance of data protection, including the protection of the rights of individuals to privacy. All of this has been successfully pursued to further enhance protection of data, improve the operational response of police officers and make police work even more efficient, placing us at the forefront of European police forces.
In the field of electronic devices, we provide a wide range of technical solutions to support the operational work of the police. Best known to the general public are speed cameras and breathalysers for measuring blood alcohol content.
A number of modern mobile solutions have recently been introduced in police work. Among them is the ePolicist (ePolice officer) service, which enables police officers in the field to carry out checks on persons, documents and vehicles against police records on a portable mobile device and to conduct traffic-related procedures as quickly and as easily as possible. The additional module ePolicistLite enables police officers to perform mobile border control at border crossings.
Facing new challenges of the digital age
The Slovenian police have experienced significant information and technological changes over recent decades. Since the days of handwriting, time-consuming typing of dispatch documents, carrying important documents briefcases and fixed telephony, they have made an almost unbelievable leap into the digital age.
Countless small and large technological steps were needed to get from the mechanographic data processing dating back to 1957 and manual keeping of lists under the card punch system to the successful accession to the single European information system for the external border control of the Schengen Area and to progress from the first terminal network with 13 terminals to the exchange of email through a GSM network. Fortunately, we have always had in-house development teams that followed the latest global trends in this field and are tackling new challenges such as the internet and cloud computing, new biometric technologies, unmanned aerial vehicles, high-performance wireless communication (LTE), big data, cyber security and mobile commerce.
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