The State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) (Bosnian

Bosnian language

Bosnian is a South Slavic language, spoken by Bosniaks. As a standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect, it is one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina....

, Croatian

Croatian language

Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...

, Serbian

Serbian language

Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....

: Državna agencija za istrage i zaštitu, SIPA Cyrillic script

Serbian Cyrillic alphabet

The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet is an adaptation of the Cyrillic script for the Serbian language, developed in 1818 by Serbian linguist Vuk Karadžić. It is one of the two standard modern alphabets used to write the Serbian language, the other being Latin...

: Државна агенција за истрагу и заштиту, СИПА) is the official state police agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. SIPA is under the direct administration of the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH MIS). SIPA is vital to the security of Bosnia and Herzegovina because most other police forces are divided among ethnic lines.

History

In accordance with the Law on State Investigation and Protection Agency and in accordance with other regulations, this Agency performs tasks within its jurisdiction throughout the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. SIPA is the basic tool of stability and the tool for making the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina feel safe.

The facts about SIPA tell all about its successfulness; these facts include the arrests of the persons suspected of committing war crimes, successful investigations of money-laundering activities, of organized crime and terrorism, of provision of witnesses with protection and support, of the formation and development of a special unit. All of these are just some of the examples that illustrate how successful an agency SIPA is and has been ever since it was founded till the present day.

Organization

SIPA started off with just three employees, whereas today it has over 850 employees working in 11 organizational units at the headquarters of the agency and in 4 regional offices- in Sarajevo

Sarajevo

Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....

, Tuzla

Tuzla

Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...

, Banja Luka

Banja Luka

-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...

, Mostar

Mostar

Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...

. Through the activities they carry out, the employees of the Agency provide hope in the better and safer future for all the citizens of B&H.

Activities

Through its activities, SIPA provides a safer environment and opportunities for a normal life for all the citizens of B&H. By working together with colleagues from other security agencies and also with partners from international community, SIPA does all in its power to make B&H, Europe and the whole world a much safer place to live.

Equipment

SIPA Units are equipped like most couter-terrorist units around the world- a vast array of specialized firearms including Yugoslavian-made 7.62 mm and 5.56 mm assault rifles such as AK74 and AK74u, M4 rifle, Heckler & Koch MP5

Heckler & Koch MP5

The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a 9mm submachine gun of German design, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar....

, H&K G3, G36

Heckler & Koch G36

The Heckler & Koch G36 is a 5.56×45mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch in Germany as a replacement for the 7.62mm G3 battle rifle. It was accepted into service with the Bundeswehr in 1997, replacing the G3...

, various sniper rifles, CZ 99, Glock 17, riot control agents, stun grenades, specialized equipment including heavy body armor, entry tools, night vision optics, Hummer

Hummer

Hummer was a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. In 1998, General Motors purchased the brand name and marketed three vehicles: the original Hummer H1, based on the Humvee; and the H2 and H3 models that were...

, BRDM-2

BRDM-2

The BRDM-2 is an amphibious armoured patrol car used by Russia and the former Soviet Union. It was also known under designations BTR-40PB, BTR-40P-2 and GAZ 41-08...

, Iveco LMVs, Toyota Land Cruisers, VW Golf, VW Transporter and Mercedes-Benz G-270 vehicles. For aerial insertion the main mode of transport are 3 Jet Ranger, 2 Bell 212 twin, 1 Mil Mi-8

Mil Mi-8

The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....

, 4 Soko Gazelle Gama and 1 UH-1H.

International stance

Because they recognized the importance of the agency, many ambassadors and representatives from international organizations visited SIPA. Some Embassies even donated equipment and other material and technical support. SIPA cooperates, on regular basis, with EUPM and ICITAP, the result of which are the tasks performed in accordance with international standards and also the staff trained at some of the most renown police institutions throughout the world.

Mission

• SIPA is a government agency within the Ministry of Security of B&H. It has operational independence; it was founded for the purpose of doing police work. The head of SIPA is its Director.
• SIPA works on the basis of professionalism, without representing, protecting or undermining the interests of any political party, or any registered organization or society, any constituent peoples or any other peoples in B&H.
• After adopting the following set of laws in 2004, out of the Agency for Information and Protection SIPA turned into a police body:
  • Law on State Investigation and Protection Agency,
  • Law on Police Employees,
  • Law on Prevention of Money Laundering,
  • Law on the Protection of Threatened and Endangered Witnesses,
  • Law on Witness Protection Program in B&H, etc.

Within the area of its legally determined jurisdiction, SIPA deals with prevention, detection and investigations of organized crime, terrorism and illegal trade - ABHO, war crimes and acts punishable according to the international war and humanitarian law, people trafficking, as well as all other crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court of B&H.

SIPA provides help for the Court and the Office of the Prosecutor of B&H, it deals with physical and technical protection of people, of buildings and other property protected under the Law on SIPA; it also deals with witness protection, prevention of money laundering as well as other tasks determined by law and by other regulations.

Future priorities

• the fight against organized crime
• investigations of terrorism and terrorist activities
• money laundering and financing of terrorist activities
• investigations of war crimes and arrests of the persons suspected of committing war crimes