Mirko Norac (also known as Mirko Norac Kevo) was born in the village of Otok, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, now part of the Republic of Croatia. He attended school in Sinj. Soon after the first multi-party elections in Croatia in August 1990, he joined the Ministry of Interior. On 12 September 1990 he joined the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit, a unit of the Croatian police. As a member of the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit, he took part in early activities by the Croatian police forces including the Plitvice Lakes incident.