BOSNIA: NEW REPUBLIKA SRPSKA POLICE DIRECTOR -

C O N F I D E N T I A L SARAJEVO 001451 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR (DICARLO),D (SMITH),P (BAME),EUR/SCE (ENGLISH, SAINZ, FOOKS),EUR/ACE (VISOCAN, LONGI),S/CT (BLACK),S/WCI (HODGKINSON),INR, THE HAGUE (JOHNSON),NSC FOR BRAUN, VIENNA FOR LEGATT (DIETDERICH),OSD FOR FLORY, USDOJ FOR CRIMINAL DIVISION - ICITAP (DELCORE) E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2015 TAGS: KCRM KJUS PTER PGOV PINR PREL BK SUBJECT: BOSNIA: NEW REPUBLIKA SRPSKA POLICE DIRECTOR - UROS PENA REF: A. SARAJEVO 491 ¶B. SARAJEVO 768 Classified By: AMBASSADOR DOUGLAS MCELHANEY FOR REASONS 1.4 (B),(D) ¶1. (C) The Republika Srpska (RS) confirmed the appointment of relatively unknown Uros Pena as the new RS Police Director on June 23, replacing controversial former director Dragomir Andan. Andan resigned in April under pressure from ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla del Ponte, who accused Andan of criminal conduct and involvement with ICTY fugitive Ratko Mladic (reftel B). Pena has spent most of his career in law enforcement and was most recently RS Chief of Police Education and Training. Pena is the second high-level police official appointed by RS PM Dodik, who has also replaced dozens of lower level officials. In March Dodik replaced controversial RS Minister of Interior Darko Matijasevic with Stanislav Cadjo (reftel A). UROS PENA -- BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ¶2. (U) Uros Pena, relatively unknown outside law enforcement circles, was born October 31, 1959 in Medina, Mrkonjic Grad, Republika Srpska. Pena, a Bosnian Serb, is an attorney and has published a number of articles on policing, including "New Concept of Community Policing and its Implementation in BiH" and "Crime Prevention in Connection with Community Policing." From 1988 - 1990 he was Station Commander, Mrkonjic Grad Police Center and from 1990 - 1992 he was Chief of Legal Affairs and Personnel at Mrkonjic Grad. From 1993 - 1996 he was Chief of the Department of RS State Security, and from 1996 - 2001 he was Chief of Criminal Intelligence, also in Mrkonjic Grad, eventually becoming Station Chief. In 2002 he served as Deputy RS Minister of Interior and from 2003 - 2005 he was RS Deputy Chief of Legal and Personnel Administration. He assumed his most recent position as RS Chief of Police Education and Training 2005. COMMENT ¶3. (C) Pena reportedly never got on well with former RS Interior Minister Matijasevic, an opportunistic nationalist with no prior police experience, apparently balking at Matijasevic's authoritarian manner. Most internationals have a favorable opinion of Pena as a smart, careful, professional policeman. His stated priorities will be promoting ICTY cooperation, combating narcotics trafficking, corruption, and organized crime, and improving "traffic security." As RS Police Director, Pena will represent the RS in the Police Reform Directorate (PRD) and will be expected to follow RS PM Dodik's line, which thus far has led to a months-long impasse within the PRD. End Comment. MCELHANEY