| Sonja Stojanović-Gajić
The hiring and promotion procedures in the Western Balkan police services are not competitive and there is great turn-over and weak retention of most experienced officers with integrity. This is due to the lack of standard procedures for human resources management and weak professional capacity of human resources (HR) departments, as well as high political interference in day to day human resources decisions. Such practices affect police effectiveness and public perception of its professionalism and integrity. Most of law enforcement agencies in the Western Balkan region have undertaken steps in last few years to establish professional human resources management systems (HRM) that will introduce transparent and merit-based recruitment, career development, promotion and dismissals. This system is a precondition for fostering talent and professional leadership in these important public services.