Deputy Director General of the Police Matjaž Šinkovec and Minister of the interior Dragutin Mate conferred police merit awards today as part of an official ceremony at the Police Academy in Tacen. The awards are conferred every year on Slovenian Police Day.

The awards were granted to some of the leading personnel of the Slovenian Police and to representatives of foreign institutions and neighbouring countries' police forces.

Matjaž Šinkovec and Dragutin Mate congratulated all award winners

The procedures of conferral and wearing of police recognition awards are prescribed by the Rules on wearing police recognition awards (Official Gazette No. 70/05). Proposals for awards are delivered to the committee, who consider them, select eligible candidates and pass their selection on to the director general. The rest are dismissed. The director general's proposals are decided upon by the Minister of the Interior by way of an order. The police recognition award consists of a recognition emblem, a facsimile of the emblem and a document of conferral.

A formal yet relaxed atmosphere was created by music played by the Police Orchestra. Apart from the national anthem, they also played Tango Apasionado (A. Piazzolla), Moon River (H. Mancini) and New York, New York (J. Kander).

These days the Slovenian Police is also active as the organiser of several events and ceremonies for the upcoming celebration of National Day. The Police Directorates throughout Slovenia and the internal organisation units of the General Police Directorate also confer merit awards on police officers and external partners for raising the level of security culture, for merits and contributions in the development and enhancement of security, for assistance to and cooperation with the police, as well as for assistance on specific security operations.

Congratulations to all the award winners!