The Riot Police Unit (PPE) is a speciality of sorts in the Slovenian police. Members of this unit are employed in various organisational units of the police, where they perform their regular tasks. They are deployed at short notice to handle security situations requiring coordinated response of a large number of specially equipped and trained police officers.
The Riot Police Unit is a call-in unit
The duties of the riot police include maintaining and establishing public order, tasks related to investigating serious crime, carrying out major security operations (e.g. arresting dangerous and armed perpetrators), policing natural, environmental and other disasters, and other, typically more demanding, tasks related to the protection of public property and personal safety. This unit has a subdivision for police specialities - these are members of water cannon crews and police snipers.
The Alpine Police Unit is a subdivision of the riot unit. Its officers are trained and equipped to perform police tasks in alpine terrain.
Search operations and missing persons
Several hundred people - adults and children - are reported missing in Slovenia every year. Police officers invest a considerable amount of effort and energy in what frequently turns out to be a very demanding and extensive search operation involving various police units (police dog handlers, mounted police, alpine police unit) and, for instance, the support of drones and helicopters. If necessary, the police also involve members of protection and rescue services (rescue dog handlers, mountain rescuers, speleologists, divers, volunteer fire-fighters, etc.). The police initiate a search operation when a person is suddenly and unexpectedly missing, for known or unknown reasons, from his or her every-day life or their absence cannot be explained.
The website www.policija.si and in the media publicise information concerning missing persons, the circumstances of their disappearance and their photographs to help maximise the success of a search operation, which often depends on clues provided by residents after someone disappears. Anyone believing that they have seen a missing person or know why somebody has gone missing is welcome to share such information with the police.
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Maintaining public peace and order
Securing public rallies and events