05.10.2016.

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Who should equip the traffic police?

Improving traffic safety with limited resources was the topic of a discussion held on Thursday, September 29, in Becej. The discussion was organized by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP), with support of Becej Youth Association, one of the partners of the PRO-CURE Group. A case study “Road safety ...

Improving traffic safety with limited resources was the topic of a discussion held on Thursday, September 29, in Becej. The discussion was organized by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP), with support of Becej Youth Association, one of the partners of the PRO-CURE Group.

A case study “Road safety in Serbia: a priority or a neglected area?” by Ana Acimov from Becej Youth Association organization was also presented during the discussion.

“Using the money collected from traffic fines to equip the traffic police is not sufficiently transparent.  Indicators suggest that such funds are substantial, but it is not clear whether they are actually being invested in the improvement of the traffic safety“, warns the author of the study.

Local governments trying to purchase technical equipment for the traffic police usually leads to problems, due to the lack of expertise and capacity of municipality’s staff, it was pointed out at the meeting.

“It is necessary to improve legislation so that it is clear who is responsible for providing equipment for the traffic police at the local level, and whether that is the responsibility of national or local government authorities. Local authorities are often uncertain whether they are allowed to buy equipment for national authorities with their share of the profit from traffic tickets and fines”, said Zoran Popov, president of the Traffic Safety Council of Becej.

BCSP Executive director Predrag Petrovic points out that local traffic safety councils should play a greater role in shaping road safety policies in their municipalities.

“Their reports should have an effect on traffic policy, so that strategies for traffic safety are being improved. National and local governments must be devoted to the improvement of criminal policy enforcement, but it is necessary to work on improving education and other preventive measures which will increase traffic safety”, concludes Petrovic.

Representatives of the local government and the Misdemeanour Court of Becej, as well as media representatives and civil society organization representatives from Becej attended the discussion.

The event was part of the project PRO-CURE: Strengthening Civil Scrutiny of Public Procurement in the Security Sector organized by BCSP and Society Against Corruption with the financial support of the EU Delegation to Serbia and the Office for Cooperation with Civil Society of the Republic of Serbia.

Report was translated by BCSP Intern Aleksandra Lazic.

 

Tags: ..., &ldquo, authorities, becej, civil, discussion, equip, equipment, local, national, police, policy, representatives, safety, serbia, society, the traffic, traffic, traffic safety

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