Review article
https://doi.org/10.32984/gapzh.15.1.5
Army and Police in Times of Crises – How to Attract and Retain the Best People
Romea Manojlović Toman
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Law
*
Iva Lopižić
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Law
Teo Giljević
; University of Zagreb Faculty of Law
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The role of the police and the army is of particular importance in times of crises such as the
health threat caused by the COVID-19 disease pandemic, natural disasters such as earthquakes
or floods, war situations and intense mixed migrations. At the same time, the army
and the police are faced with an internal crisis, which is reflected in the difficulties in attracting
and retaining quality people. Negative demographic trends, changed life preferences, and
working conditions which are insufficiently adapted for the new generations lead to a lack of necessary candidates and a decrease in the attractiveness of work in public administration in
general. These problems are accentuated in the army and the police, which have the authority
to encroach on the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens. In these departments, in addition
to the general conditions necessary for employment in the civil service, special physical
and mental preparation is required. This paper provides an overview of contemporary trends
and challenges that the army and the police face in contemporary society and systematizes
the methods of attracting and retaining people in these departments. Based on the content
analysis of the selected scientific literature, the methods are divided into three categories: a)
those aimed at attracting people, b) those aimed at retaining people, and c) those that have
a dual function of attracting and retaining people in the army and the police. For each of the
methods, comparative examples of their actual application are given. The paper opens the
door for future research, specifically aimed at solving the problem of attraction and retention
in the Croatian army and police, and represents a basis for learning from comparable experiences.
Keywords
army, police, attraction and retention, public administration, crises
Hrčak ID:
318943
URI
Publication date:
11.7.2024.
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