Security Guard Services in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Agencies for the protection of persons and property in the Federation of BiH obtain their operating approval from the cantonal ministry of internal affairs. Guards must hold a certificate for physical or technical protection, obtained after training organized by the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Competent Authority

Cantonal ministries of internal affairs (agency operating approval, official ID cards) and the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs (training and certificates) parlamentfbih.gov.ba

Law

Law on Agencies and Internal Services for the Protection of Persons and Property (Zakon o agencijama i unutrašnjim službama za zaštitu ljudi i imovine), Official Gazette of the Federation of BiH, No. 78/08, as amended

Types of Approvals and Certificates

• Agency operating approval, issued by the cantonal internal affairs authority.
• Branch operating approval, issued by the cantonal authority where the branch is based.
• Physical protection certificate, for guards.
• Technical protection certificate, for technical staff.
• Certificate for the responsible person in an agency or internal service.
• Guard’s official ID card, issued by the cantonal authority.
• Special consent of the Federal Ministry for the protection of certain entities, such as banks, airports and public utility companies.

Requirements

• Citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Physical and mental fitness according to the prescribed medical criteria.
• At least completed secondary school for guard training.
• For technical staff, secondary vocational education in a mechanical, electrical, traffic or related technical field.
• For responsible persons, at least post-secondary (higher) vocational education.
• No criminal proceedings are pending against the person, and the person has not been sentenced to imprisonment for a criminal offense, except offenses against traffic safety.
• The person has not been penalized for a public order offense involving violence.
• The person has not been dismissed from a law enforcement agency in BiH for negligent performance of duties.

Training

• Guard training is organized and delivered by the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs.
• Training follows a program prescribed by the Federal Minister of Internal Affairs.
• A certificate issued in a European Union member state may be recognized if it matches the training program in the Federation of BiH.

Application Steps

1. Registration of the agency in the court register.
2. Submission of an application for operating approval to the competent cantonal internal affairs authority.
3. Sending employees to training and obtaining certificates from the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs.
4. Obtaining official ID cards for guards from the cantonal authority.
5. Submission of copies of protection contracts to the cantonal authority within seven days of signing or termination.
6. Reporting changes to the name, registered office, responsible person, founder or activity to the cantonal authority within the prescribed period.

Armed Guards

Weapons may be acquired only with the approval of the cantonal authority and the prior consent of the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs. Firearms may be used only when necessary to protect life and after a warning, and firing warning shots is prohibited. Weapons may not be carried outside the protected premises or after working hours, except during cash transport, personal protection and certain interventions. The police must be notified immediately of any use of force or weapons, and a written report must be prepared within 24 hours. The agency must ensure periodic weapons handling checks and medical and psychophysical checks.

Validity and Renewal

The agency must ensure periodic weapons handling checks and medical and psychophysical checks of employees. Approval to attend training is valid for one year.

Local Rules

The agency operating approval is issued by the cantonal internal affairs authority where the agency is based, and a branch in another canton requires approval from that canton’s authority.

Sources

• Parliament of the Federation of BiH, Law on Amendments to the Law on Agencies and Internal Services for the Protection of Persons and Property

In Republika Srpska, the field is governed by the Law on Agencies for the Security of Persons and Property and Private Detective Activity (Zakon o agencijama za obezbjeđenje lica i imovine i privatnoj detektivskoj djelatnosti), and the competent authority is the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska.

Competent Authority

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska (Ministarstvo unutrašnjih poslova Republike Srpske) mup.vladars.rs

Law

Law on Agencies for the Security of Persons and Property and Private Detective Activity

Training

• The professional examination for physical security work is taken before the examination board of Republika Srpska.

Sources

• National Assembly of Republika Srpska, Law on Agencies for the Security of Persons and Property and Private Detective Activity
• Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, Technical Security

In Brčko District of BiH, operating approvals for agencies and authorizations for individuals are issued by the Police of Brčko District of BiH (Policija Brčko distrikta BiH) by formal decision. A guard (security member) must hold an authorization to perform physical or technical security work.

Competent Authority

Police of Brčko District of BiH policijabdbih.gov.ba

Law

Law on Agencies for the Security of Persons and Property and Private Detective Activity (Zakon o agencijama za osiguranje lica i imovine i privatnoj detektivskoj djelatnosti), Official Gazette of Brčko District of BiH, Nos. 27/04, 15/05 and 37/05

Types of Approvals and Certificates

• Operating approval for an agency for the security of persons and property.
• Authorization to perform physical security work, for security members.
• Authorization to perform technical security work.
• Special approval for escorting and securing the transport of cash, securities and precious metals.
• Official ID card of a security member, issued by the Police at the agency’s request.
• Authorization to perform detective work.

Requirements

• Citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Legal adulthood.
• At least completed secondary vocational education.
• General medical fitness, proven by a certificate from an authorized health institution.
• The person has not been indicted for war crimes before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
• The person has not been convicted of criminal offenses, and no criminal proceedings are pending against the person.
• The person has not been penalized for public order offenses involving violence.
• An authorization is not issued to a person whose behavior indicates unreliability, for example due to excessive alcohol use, gambling or domestic violence.
• For technical security, secondary vocational education in a technical field and at least three years of experience or a passed professional examination.

Training

• A passed professional examination for physical security work before the examination board of Republika Srpska, or a certificate from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Federation of BiH.
• Only persons who meet the basic requirements of Article 13 of the Law may attend training for the examination.
• The application for approval to take the examination is submitted to the Police of Brčko District of BiH.

Application Steps

1. Submission of an application to the Police of Brčko District of BiH for approval to take the professional examination or the certificate examination.
2. Attending training and passing the examination, or obtaining the certificate.
3. Submission of an application for authorization to the Police of Brčko District of BiH with proof of meeting the requirements.
4. The Police obtain criminal and misdemeanor record data ex officio.
5. The Police decide on the application by formal decision.
6. The agency is entered in the court register at the Basic Court of Brčko District of BiH and then requests operating approval from the Police.

Armed Guards

An agency may hold semi-automatic short-barreled firearms for no more than one third of its employed security members, for self-defense. Weapons and ammunition are acquired with the approval of the Brčko District Police. Weapons are carried only during direct guarding duty, and carrying personal weapons on duty is prohibited. Weapons may be used only to protect life, after identifying oneself and giving a clear warning when possible, and the Police must be notified immediately of any use.

Validity and Renewal

The Law does not set a validity period for authorizations. An agency’s operating approval ceases to be valid if the agency does not begin operating within six months of the decision becoming final.

Local Rules

Street patrolling in the course of security work for persons and property is prohibited. One copy of the security contract is submitted to the Police within seven days of signing.

Sources

• Assembly of Brčko District of BiH, Law on Agencies for the Security of Persons and Property and Private Detective Activity
• Law on Agencies for the Security of Persons and Property and Private Detective Activity, text 27/04 (PDF)
• Law on Amendments, 37/05 (PDF)