SaĆĄo Ocvirk of the Celje Police Directorate is the first police officer in Slovenia to obtain an international mountain guide licence. In March, he completed an extensive and challenging three-year programme with the Bavarian police. His achievement represents a significant step for the development of the expertise and skills of the Slovenian alpine unit.
SaĆĄo Ocvirk and other proud recipients of international mountain guide licences
The initiative for cooperation was launched back in 2022 within the framework of the joint Slovenian-Bavarian commission. In November 2023, a Slovenian police officer from the Alpine Unit (Formation III of the Riot Police Unit), was assigned to training with the Bavarian Alpine Police for the very first time.
The Slovenian police officer began his training at the Bavarian Police Training Centre in Sudelfeld, Germany, as one of nine candidates, with the remaining eight being from the Bavarian police.
The programme required top-level physical and mental fitness and advanced technical skills, ranging from glacier hiking to climbing in various conditions, ski touring, handling accidents at climbing sites, and rescue operations. It was conducted in several European countries, specifically in the mountains of Bavaria, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and France, mostly at altitudes above 3,000 meters.
The training was extremely demanding â three candidates dropped out right at the start, and one tragically died in a mountaineering accident unrelated to training. Progressing through the programme required passing all assessments, with no opportunity for retakes.
In March 2026, only four participants completed the programme, including SaĆĄo Ocvirk, who became the first Slovenian police officer to obtain an international mountain guide licence comparable to the licence issued by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA).
The training was made possible thanks to the excellent support of our Bavarian partners, who adapted the programme (and carried out parts of it in English), and the assistance of translators. At the diploma presentation, representatives of the Slovenian police expressed their gratitude to the Bavarian partners and mentors for their support and emphasised the importance of good cooperation.
German translation of the article: Ein Beamter der Alpinen Einsatzgruppe der slowenischen Polizeispezialeinheiten erlangt als erster slowenischer Polizist in Bayern den internationalen BergfĂŒhrertitel
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