Union: Policeman in Hospital Did Not Want to Kill

Every day we meet with wild robbers, drug addicts and murderers, from which was have to protect the citizens, they say at the police union.

ZAGREB, CROATIA - Unfortunately, cases where a police officer must use force, even their weapons in order to save their own life, or the life of a civilian, occur very often, said the president of the police union, Dubravko Jagic. He added, the same occurred in the tragic case on Friday morning when a police officer, after he was attacked with scissors, shot the 34 year old H.J. in the leg.

“Here it is obvious that the police officer did not want to kill the man, but only wanted to stop him injuring the doctors, patients or him. Had he wanted to kill him, he would not have shot him in the leg, but at his head. However, he could not have known that the 34 year old would bleed to death” said Jagic. He added that the police union (SPH) totally supports the police officer that, says Jagic, acted within the law.

Also, he added, the job of the police is such that they deal with various people every day, during their work, which is the protection of citizens and their assets.

“Every day we encounter wild robbers, drug addicts and murderers, from which we must protect the citizens of this state, as well as ourselves in accordance to the law” he concluded.

Based on the current information, SPH states, it is obvious that the 34 year old showed serious intent on attacking the police officers and citizens, probably due to the influence of drugs.

When asked if there is help for police officers who, during their work, are forced to take somebody’s life, Jagic said that every police officer that finds themselves in that situation receives psychological help.

“Immediately after such events, the police officers receive a few days off, because it is a great shock for every person. In European Union countries and America, police officers visit psychiatrists after every operation, but unfortunately in Croatia this is impossible due to lack of staff” said Jagic, mentioning that this is only one of the problems that police officers face every day.

A great problem is the lack of equipment for police officers, which greatly endangers their lives.

“We chose this job and we love it because it is noble. However, there is a lot of work, and there are even more problems if something happens. It is like that, every day we leave home, but we do not know if we will return there” he concluded.

The Croatian police union sent a report to the media in which they ask the public to, when thinking about the events in the Dubrava hospital, to leave their possible hypocrisy behind and realise that the death of the 34 year old occurred in tragic circumstances.