The invasion of the Prizren police station by only one person raises serious questions about the institution’s preparedness to deal with public security.Security experts told Justice in Kosovo that the police should increase the level of security around its premises.
The armed perpetrator, Shefki Hallaqi, known as “Sheki,” entered the police station “Alfa”in the early in the morning. He held hostage all the people within the station hostage.After shooting several times with his Kalashnikov inside the station, Hallaqi left without being stopped, even though 6 officials of the police were inside the station.
After the policemen couldn’t manage to stop him, he decided to surrender himself the next day, and was detained.This incident raised many question regarding the level of security of Police institutions.
Security expert Nuredin Ibishi said that police should take immediate precautions to prevent such incidents.
According him, at the same time that Kosovo Police is involved in the war against terrorism and organized crime, they should also focus on improving security measures.
“A special law should be passed specifying particular measures for the security of objects of particular relevance” said Ibishi.
But according Ibishi, until the release of this special law, Kosovo Police should take immediate precautions to avoid the risk of another episode like the one in Prizren.
“The policeman that will be appointed to protect the objects should be well prepared and properly equipped,” he added.
But Kosovo Police, besides suspending the 6 police officials who didn’t manage to control the armed assailant, has not taken any other security measures.
This was confirmed by the vice director of the police, Naim Rexha, who told Justice in Kosovo that the measurements taken regarding this case were suspending the 6 police officials that were working that day. Rexha maintains that no further measures are needed.
Minister of Defense Bajram Rexhepi the public prosecutor is responsible for the security breach, because one night before the attack, he had been handcuffed.
Hallaqi had been arrested 10 times before that, suspected for penal offenses, attacking officials, and causing minor bodily harm.
According official records, several hours before attacking the police station Hallaqi was intoxicated and arrested after having destroyed a telephone booth in the center of Prizren. However, he was released by an order from the prosecution.
However Metush Biraj, head of the prosecution of Prizren said that the custody prosecutor was not aware of the fact that the Hallaqi had prior criminal records.
Also according Biraj the suspect was released after the police communicated with the prosecutor saying that this person didn’t present any risk if he is left to go home drunk.
But facts are showing something else, the report of the prosecutor Beqe Shala doesn’t match with the report of the police Hajredin Braha.
In a report provided from Justice in Kosovo, it’s obvious that policeman Hajredin Braha emphasized firmly on his official report that he made known to the prosecutor Beqe Shala that the arrested person Shefki Hallaqi was a recidivist.
However, according officials of prosecution and police will be impossible to verify which the truth of this case was because the phone call between the prosecutor and the police is not recorded.