# Police of North Macedonia

Law enforcement in North Macedonia is the responsibility of the Police of the Republic of North Macedonia (Macedonian: Полиција на Република Северна Македонија, romanized: Policija na Republika Severna Makedonija).
The police headquarters are located in Skopje at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and also maintain an air base in nearby Idrizovo. Taiwan, Canada, and Italy have all contributed Bell Helicopter Textron helicopters to the police force's Macedonian Police Aviation Unit in cooperation with the Air Force of North Macedonia to help combat insurgencies the country.
The law enforcement agencies of North Macedonia are regulated by the Constitution of 1991, the Law on Internal Affairs of 1995, the Criminal Procedure Code of 1997 and the Draft Law on Changes and Additions to the Criminal Procedure Code. With police actions and behavior controlled by the Criminal Procedure Code, and the Law on Internal Affairs controlling the use of firearms by the police force. On July 1, 2003, the Law on the Police Academy was enacted, creating a police academy to train civil and border police officers.
The force has been the subject of a number of recent reforms regarding both the Albanian insurgency, and possible violations of human rights, with NATO officials stating that the force was "not really up to European standards" as policemen lacked in skills and weapons.

## History

The Police were subject to scrutiny during Albanian riots on 9 July 1997 when protesters collected in the western town of Gostivar. Over 200 were wounded and three killed (two shot, one beaten to death) in a resulting clash with police riot squads, and the Humans Rights Watch investigated allegations of police brutality. These events underlined a continuing friction between the Macedonian Police force and Albanians living in North Macedonia. The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights reported that police abuse of suspects, particularly during initial arrest and detention, and police harassment of ethnic minorities is ongoing.
The Police of North Macedonia work closely with the NATO peacekeepers in patrolling areas with high numbers of ethnic Albanians ever since the 2001 Macedonia conflict ended, and have been receiving weapons from surrendering Albanian insurgents. Violent attacks, however, still occur as in 2001 three officers were killed by Albanian gunmen.
A Notable Incident was when the Macedonian Police arrested a Horse in 2009 used by a crime smuggling ring to smuggle Air conditioners from Serbia. At that time the Police were not sure whether to press charges or not, but ultimately decided to not press charges against the Horse.
On the 2nd of December, 2022, during a routine traffic stop, а driver was asked to show his documents, to which the driver didn't comply and proceeded to call an Armed group. Said group proceeded to chase the Police officers out of Aračinovo and into the Gazi Baba police station.

## Organization

* Border Police
* Lake Patrol Police
* Traffic Police
* Helicopter unit

### Special Police

* Special Operations Unit - Tigers
* Rapid Deployment Unit
* Special Support Unit
* Unit for First Response and Intervention - Alpha

#### Former special police unit

* Lions police tactical unit

## Equipment
### Vehicles

| Vehicle | Origin | Users | Use | Notes |
| Light Vehicles ||||||
| Chevrolet Spark | South Korea | Regular and Traffic Police | Patrolling and Transport | |
| Dacia Duster | Romania | Forest and Border Police | Patrolling and Transport | Due to a lack of Vehicles, the Police of North Macedonia has begun using Border Police vehicles as regular Police vehicles. |
| Land Rover Defender 110 | United Kingdom | Regular, Special and Border Police | Patrolling, Transport and Surveillance | The Border Police uses a modified Land Rover fitted with Cameras designed to monitor certain areas to prevent illegal crossings etc. |
| Škoda Octavia | Czech Republic | Regular and Traffic Police | Patrolling and Transport | |
| Dacia Sandero | Romania | Traffic Police | Patrolling and Transport | Ten in Service. |
| Škoda Yeti | Czech Republic | Regular and Traffic Police | Patrolling and Transport | The vehicle is used by all police offices, stations, departments in North Macedonia and is its most recognizable vehicle. There is another version of the vehicle that is used as a lead vehicle in traffic and escort security (CEO) of VIPs, officials etc. The only difference in appearance are the police lights which appear in blue and red instead of the usual blue. |
| BMW (E46) | Germany | Regular and Traffic Police | Patrolling and Transport | Limited Use by certain departments |
| Volkswagen Transporter | Germany | Regular and Special Police | Patrolling and Transport | The vehicle used by the regular police, unlike the original, is fitted with a high roof. This van, without markings and without an upgraded roof, is also used by the special police. In 2014, a project for mobile police stations was promoted in the area of Skopje and this van was chosen to be the main vehicle used in this project. |
| Ssangyong Rexton | South Korea | Border Police | Patrolling and Transport | Due to a lack of Vehicles, the Police of North Macedonia has begun using Border Police vehicles as regular Police vehicles. |
| Dacia Dokker | Romania France | Patrolling and Transport | |
| Helicopters ||||||
| Bell 206B-2 | United States Canada | Helicopter Unit | Patrolling and Transport | One in Service. |
| Bell AB 212 | United States Canada | Helicopter Unit | Patrolling and Transport | One in Service. |
| Bell 412EP | United States Canada | Helicopter Unit | Patrolling and Transport | One in Service. |
| Mil Mi-171 | Soviet Union Russia | Helicopter Unit | Patrolling and Transport | One in Service.(Other one was slightly damaged in 2020 and was later written off) |
| Mil Mi-17V-5 | Soviet Union Russia | Helicopter Unit | Patrolling and Transport | Zero in Service.(1 retired and 1 written off in a accident in 2014) |
| Motorcycles ||||||
| Honda ST1300 Pan-European | Japan | Traffic Police | CEO Transport | Used by the Department for Vanguard, Traffic and Escort Security (CEO) in its activities, including the escort of VIPs, officials, etc. |
| Sanyang SYM HD2 200i | Taiwan | Traffic Police | CEO Transport | Used by the Department for Vanguard, Traffic and Escort Security (CEO) in its activities, including the escort of VIPs, officials, etc. |
| Piaggio Beverly | Italy | Traffic Police | CEO Transport | 120cc version is used |
| Armored Vehicles ||||||
| TM-170 | Germany | Special Police | Transport | Known as the "Hermelin" (Stoat/Ermine in English). Used by the Special Operations Unit and the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| BTR-80 | Soviet Union Russia | Special Police | Transport | Used by the Special Operations Unit and the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| Wolf Armoured Vehicle | Israel | Special Police | Transport | Used by the Special Operations Unit and the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| TOMA | Turkey | Special Police | Unknown | |

### Former Vehicles

| Vehicle | Origin | Users | Use | Notes |
| Chrysler Cirrus | United States | Regular Police | Patrolling and Transport | 210 were purchased in 2000 and used into the 2010s, averaging more than 500,000 kilometres (310,000 mi) traveled each. |
| Jeep Cherokee | United States | Regular Police | Patrolling and Transport | |
| Mercedes-Benz W124 | Germany | Regular Police | Patrolling and Transport | |
| Volkswagen Polo Mk3 | Germany | Regular Police | Patrolling and Transport | |

### Dogs

| Breed | Photo | Origin | Users | Notes |
| German Shepherd | | Germany | K9 Unit | |

### Small Arms

| Name | Type | Origin | Notes |
| Pistols |||||
| Zastava CZ 99 | Pistol | Yugoslavia Serbia | 9×19mm Standard issued pistol of the police. |
| Glock17 | Pistol | Austria | 9x19mm Used by the Special Operations Unit. |
| Submachine guns |||||
| H&K MP5 | Submachine gun | Germany | 9×19mm Used by the Special Operations Unit. |
| Assault Rifles |||||
| Zastava M70 | Assault rifle | Yugoslavia North Macedonia Serbia | 7.62×39mm Used for special situations such as armed conflict, but can also be used daily by police station guards. |
| AR-M1 | Assault rifle | Bulgaria | 7.62×39mm and 5.56×45mm Used by the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| IWI Tavor | Bullpup Assault Rifle | Israel | 5.56×45mm Used by the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| IWI Tavor X95 | Bullpup Assault Rifle | Israel | 5.56×45mm Used by the Special Operations Unit. |
| Zastava M92 | Assault rifle | Yugoslavia Serbia | 7.62×39mm Used by the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| Sniper Rifles |||||
| Zastava M76 | Sniper rifle | Yugoslavia Serbia | 7.92×57mm Used by the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| Zastava M93 | Sniper rifle | Serbia | 12.7×108mm Used by the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| Sako TRG-42 | Sniper rifle | Finland | 12.7×57mm Used by the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| McMillan TAC-50 | Sniper rifle | United States | .50 BMG Used by the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| AI-AXMC | Sniper rifle | United Kingdom | 7.62×51mm, .338 Lapua Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum Used by the Special Operations Unit. |
| SVD Dragunov | Sniper rifle | Soviet Union Russia | 7.62×54mm Used by the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| Machine guns |||||
| PKM | Machine gun | Soviet Union Russia | 7.62×54mm Used by the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| Zastava M84 | Machine gun | Yugoslavia Serbia | 7.62×54mm Used by the Rapid Deployment Unit. |
| IWI Negev | Machine gun | Israel | 5.56×45mm Used by the Special Operations Unit. |

## Gallery

* Pre-2019 licence plates of the Macedonian Police
* License plate on the front of Macedonian Police vehicles
* License plate on the back of Macedonian Police vehicles
* Police in v.Radusha in 2001
* Special units Tigers and Lions in 2001
* Pre-2019 Coat of arms of the Macedonian Police