POLICE INTEGRITY TESTING AND ITS OUTCOMES IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

The article addresses integrity testing and its outcomes in the Serbian police practice. Besides defining integrity testing and outlining the procedure for its initiation and implementation within the existing legislative framework, the article also considers potential obstacles to applying integrity tests in certain areas of police work. Research on the integrity testing of police employees is based on data provided by the Report of the Internal Control Department, the authorized organizational unit of the Ministry of Interior responsible for implementing integrity testing. The data includes tests conducted from 2019 to September 2024. The research findings show that the focus of integrity testing was solely on police officers conducting police tasks in the capacity of authorized officials. Regarding the area of work, the tested officers were employed in the Uniformed Police Department and the Traffic Police Department. The integrity testing has proven to be a significant investigative tool for detecting corruption and other forms of unlawful behavior by police officers, as 28.8% of the tested officers failed to demonstrate their professional integrity. The results of the integrity testing revealed the presence of criminal offenses related to corruption, such as Abuse of Office and Soliciting and Accepting Bribes. This led to the filing of 15 criminal complaints against five police officers. Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against two police officers for severe violations of official duty. However, at this stage, integrity testing does not produce satisfactory outcomes, as police officers who fail to demonstrate professional integrity may evade criminal prosecution and, in some cases, even the initiation of disciplinary proceedings.