Perceptions of private security : a case study of students from Serbia and North Macedonia

In the last two decades of the 21st century, the significant development of the private security industry has taken place in Serbia and North Macedonia. However, the private security industry in these two countries did not reach professional standards as in other states of the former Yugoslavia. The aim of this paper was to determine students’ perception of private security and its employees. The survey data were collected using an anonymous survey of 354 students (296 from Serbia and 58 from North Macedonia). In both countries the attitudes are heterogeneous, but a relatively small number of respondents have expressed a high level of perception of private security. The research has shown that gender, as one of demographic characteristics, has its role in shaping young pexople’s views on the private security, that is, the female population has more positive views about private security officers, their integrity, and the nature of the private security job. The findings offer policy-makers and private security companies the opportunity to deploy new strategies to upgrade public attitudes towards private security, especially aimed at the male population

The place and role of Frontex in the implementation of the European Union's new border security policy

This paper presents the results of the analysis of the Council Regulation (EC) No 2007/2004 on establishing the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (FRONTEX). Also, the analysis of other regulations that amended the Regulation No 2007/2004 has been completed. The mentioned Regulation was made after the abolition of controls at internal borders of the EU when the Member States remained responsible for the control and surveillance of external borders in accordance with the common rules on standards and procedures for the control of external borders. FRONTEX was established to reinforce the security of external borders of the EU, with the role of coordinating the operational cooperation between the countries. This paper analyses the organization of FRONTEX, and it also presents its role in the implementation and coordination of joint operations, pilot projects, rapid interventions, as well as situations and conditions in which teams of European border guards are to be engaged. It provides a special view regarding the cooperation of FRONTEX with institutions outside the EU relevant to the issues of border security, particularly in those countries that have been identified as sources and transit routes of illegal migration, within the framework of working arrangements concluded with those bodies. FRONTEX has signed such Working Arrangement on establishing operational cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Serbia. The Organizational unit of the MoI of the Republic of Serbia that realizes direct cooperation with this agency is the Border Police Directorate. The paper stated that Serbia as a candidate country for membership in the EU is working closely with the mentioned Agency. However, there is still room for improvement in this cooperation. Before its full membership in the EU, Serbia will have to adjust all the procedures in line with standards set by FRONTEX, for which substantial funds will be needed

The Impact of Quality Management Purchasing Practices on Purchasing Performance in Transitional Economies

This study examines the nature of relationships between quality management practices in purchasing and purchasing-related organisational performance within ISO 9001:2008 environment in transitional economies. The study was based on managers’ responses from 90 ISO 9001:2008 certified large organisations from Serbia. The findings show that quality management practices in purchasing positively affect purchasing performance. Further, purchasing performance is found to be a significant mediator between quality management practices and time-based performance. However, despite the overall good predictive model power, the explained variance on time-based performance is quite low. Thus, the effects on time-based performance are arguable. PLS-SEM Importance-performance analysis reveals that purchasing performance, cross-functional coordination and personnel management have relatively high performance, while benchmarking has the lowest value of the performance index. Consequently, the implementation of quality management practices in purchasing along with ISO 9001:2008 might be a part of a good strategic choice for transitional organisations to overcome troublesome transitional times. Still, the discrepancies between this study and the results from developed economies yield potential improvement areas on how organisations in transitional economies should manage purchasing practices

Model predikcije efektivnog studiranja na Kriminalističko-policijskoj akademiji u Beogradu

The paper deals with the connection between the input characteristics of students of the Academy of Criminalistics and Police Studies in Belgrade related to the acquired and inherited values and effective studying. Data collection was performed using the questionnaire technique on a sample of 120 students and the logic regression method. The questionnaire comprised 11 closed questions, 10 relating to predictor variables (gender, high school, success in high school, place in which it was finished, going in for sport, respondent's family and financial situation, whether a member of the family is employed by the Ministry of Interior and the course of studies), and one relating to the criterion variable (studying without repeating years). The results of logic regression showed that the overall model explains between 40.4% and 55.7% of variance in the status of effective studying, and it correctly classified 83.6% of cases. Only five predictor variables provided a unique statistically significant contribution to the model. The paper proved that if a student had a specific set of inherited and acquired characteristics, probability that he/she would study effectively is significantly increased. The paper proved that higher police education institutions should pay attention to the inherited and acquired characteristics at the entrance examination. Unlike any previous research, the paper deals with desired characteristics modeling implying that the candidate has increased chances to study effectively.Rad odgovara na pitanje da li se na osnovu ulaznih karakteristika studenata Akademije, koje se odnose na stečene i nasleđene vrednosti, može predvideti njihova efektivnost tokom studiranja. Odgovor na postavljeno pitanje potražen je realizacijom istraživanja sa studentima Kriminalističko-policijske akademije. Pri obradi prikupljenih podataka iskorišćena je logička regresija koja omogućava ispitivanje modela za predikciju kategorijskih ishoda (efektivno studira ili ne). Ispitivani model se sastojao od 10 prediktorskih varijabli (pol ispitanika, vrsta srednje škole koju je ispitanik završio, uspeh ispitanika u srednjoj školi, statistički region u kome je ispitanik završio srednju školu, da li se ispitanik bavi sportom, porodična situacija ispitanika, materijalna situacija ispitanika, da li je neki od ispitanikovih bližih članova porodice zaposlen u MUP-u i vrsta studija koju ispitanik pohađa). Rezultati logičke regresije pokazali su da model u celini objašnjava između 40.4% i 55.7% varijanse u statusu efektivnog studiranja i tačno klasifikuje 83.6% slučajeva. Samo pet prediktorskih varijabli dale su jedinstven statistički značajan doprinos modelu (muški pol, završena gimnazija, završena srednja škola prirodnih nauka, bavljenje sportom i lošiji materijalni status). U skladu sa tim rezultatima, u radu je dokazano da ukoliko student ima specifičan set nasleđenih i stečenih karakteristika vezanih za statistički značajne prediktorske varijable, uveliko se povećava verovatnoća da će efektivno studirati na Kriminalističko-policijskoj akademiji

Private Security Preparedness for Disasters Caused by Fire

The subject of the research was the examination of the factors of influence on the preparedness of the private security for disasters caused by fire. In addition to determining the preparedness index, there are deeper insights into the interrelationships between various selected variables and the level of preparedness of members of the private security. Using the random sampling method, 300 adult members of the private security were selected, and they participated in the research. The results of the research indicate that members of private security were not sufficiently prepared to react to fires. The research results could be used as a starting point for conducting further research in this area since the improvement in training of security personnel plays an important role in disaster control and prevention, thereby producing safer and more secure work environment and society

The Role of the Police of Montenegro in Combating Fan Hooliganism

In recent years, hooligan incidents in Montenegro have become more frequent and violent. Hooliganism at sports events is becoming recognized as a serious problem by citizens, legislators, and other state institutions. Violence at sports events in Montenegro exists, but it still does not represent a major security problem. States deal with this security problem in different ways, primarily by passing appropriate regulations, but in solving this problem in all states, the police seem to play a primary role. In recent years, we have witnessed a proactive approach by the police to this problem. This is precisely where the lack of the Montenegrin police, which has good police units that act repressively on hooligan outbursts, can be seen. However, the Montenegrin police do not have narrowly specialized units dealing exclusively with this problem, which will collect and exchange information about hooligans, as well as the National Office for the Exchange of Information on the Security of Football Competitions (NFIP), which is a prerequisite for the establishment and successful international cooperation in this field. The research presented and analyzed statistical data in the period 2018-2021, which refers to the actions of the Montenegrin police during the security of public gatherings, especially sports events. Based on them, it can be concluded that the Montenegrin police play a significant role in opposing fan hooliganism. Members of the police in Montenegro are adequately prepared to oppose fan hooliganism, as far as repressive actions are concerned. All of the above instills confidence in citizens that the police of Montenegro will succeed, together with other state bodies, in adequately opposing fan hooliganism

Security among students in school buildings during natural disasters

U radu su izneti rezultati kvantitativnog istraživanja percepcije učenika srednjih škola o njihovoj bezbednosti u školskim objektima za vreme prirodnih katastrofa. Autori koriste metod anketiranja učenika kako bi identifikovali i opisali faktore koji utiču na percepciju bezbednosti učenika. Iz ukupne populacije učenika srednjih škola u Beogradu, za potrebe ovog istraživanja izvučen je uzorak veličine 3.063 učenika, što čini 4.67% populacije. Iz populacije od 101 Beogradske srednje škole na slučajan način izabrano je njih 13. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da se 40,2% učenika oseća bezbedno, 37,8% nije sigurno i 21,8% ističe da se oseća nebezbedno u školskim objektima kada su u pitanju posledice prirodnih katastrofa. Nadalje, rezultati ispitivanja uticaja određenih faktora na percepciju bezbednosti učenika pokazuju da postoji statistički značajna povezanost sa promenljivama – pol, obrazovanje majke, obrazovanje oca, ostvarena prosečna ocena, dok takva povezanost nije utvrđena sa promenljivama – zaposlenost roditelja, živi sa ocem, sa majkom, dedom i babom. Istraživanje se bazira na područje Beograda, tako da se zaključci mogu generalizovati samo na populaciju učenika srednjih škola na tom području. Rezultati istraživanja se mogu iskoristiti prilikom kreiranja strategija unapređenja bezbednosti učenika u školskim objektima od posledica prirodnih katastrofa

Uticaj akutnog mentalnog stresa na performanse gađanja - implikacije na obuku pripadnika bezbednosnih službi

U radu je analizirana povezanost akutnog mentalnog stresa i performansi gađanja iz službenog pištolja CZ 99. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da ne postoji statistički značajna povezanost između srčane frekvencije sa performansama gađanja. Povišena srčana frekvencija kod ispitanika pri gađanju, ukazuje da su ispitanici tokom gađanja doživeli akutni mentalni stres. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da bi prilikom obuke pripadnika bezbednosnih službi, pored tehničkog, taktičkog i fizičkog aspekta, trebalo posvetiti više pažnje ulozi i značaju mentalnog stresa

Spectroscopic and quantum chemical elucidation of newly synthesized 1-aryl-3-methyl-3-phenylpyrrolidine-2,5-diones as potential anticonvulsant agents

Novel succinimide derivatives were synthesized from 3-methyl-3-phenylsuccinic acid and substituted anilines under solvent-free conditions by using microwave irradiation. All obtained compounds were characterized by ultraviolet (UV), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), H-1 and C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as well as by elemental analysis. The influence of the substituent electronic effects on spectroscopic data was analyzed by applying the Hammett equation. Moreover, a detailed interpretation and comparison of experimentally obtained and theoretically calculated FT-IR, UV and NMR spectra was performed. Density functional theory (DFT) calculated data of the investigated succinimides were obtained and analyzed in order to determine their structural, spectroscopic and electronic properties. Furthermore, ADMET factor profiling and in-silico prediction of potential biological activities of novel succinimide derivatives have been performed

Spectral radius of finite and infinite planar graphs and of graphs of bounded genus

It is well known that the spectral radius of a tree whose maximum degree is $D$ cannot exceed $2\sqrt{D-1}$. In this paper we derive similar bounds for arbitrary planar graphs and for graphs of bounded genus. It is proved that a the spectral radius $\rho(G)$ of a planar graph $G$ of maximum vertex degree $D\ge 4$ satisfies $\sqrt{D}\le \rho(G)\le \sqrt{8D-16}+7.75$. This result is best possible up to the additive constant--we construct an (infinite) planar graph of maximum degree $D$, whose spectral radius is $\sqrt{8D-16}$. This generalizes and improves several previous results and solves an open problem proposed by Tom Hayes. Similar bounds are derived for graphs of bounded genus. For every $k$, these bounds can be improved by excluding $K_{2,k}$ as a subgraph. In particular, the upper bound is strengthened for 5-connected graphs. All our results hold for finite as well as for infinite graphs. At the end we enhance the graph decomposition method introduced in the first part of the paper and apply it to tessellations of the hyperbolic plane. We derive bounds on the spectral radius that are close to the true value, and even in the simplest case of regular tessellations of type $\{p,q\}$ we derive an essential improvement over known results, obtaining exact estimates in the first order term and non-trivial estimates for the second order asymptotics