Showcasing Operational Excellence: K9 Units from Across BiH Present Skills in Sarajevo

30 October 2025, SARAJEVO – Recognizing the critical role of K9 units in detecting and preventing crime, law enforcement teams from across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) showcased their expertise in a skills presentation organized by the OSCE Mission to BiH. The event was held in co-operation with the Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton, Federal Police Administration and all law enforcement agencies' K9 units in BiH. Eleven teams demonstrated proficiency in three key disciplines: obedience, firearms/explosives detection, and narcotics detection.

"We are at a unique event today – a presentation of skills of police K9 units – which showcases some of the tangible results we have achieved through our through our co-operation with law enforcement agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Ambassador Rick Holtzapple, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. "We will see how capacity building and equipment provision to K9 units fosters operational excellence and inter-agency cooperation. The professionalism and dedication demonstrated by these teams today reflect the significant contribution they make to public safety and security, both nationally and regionally."

The event brought together representatives from the BiH Ministry of Security, the BiH Border Police, entity and cantonal ministries of interior, police administrations, the Brčko District Police, embassies in Sarajevo, as well as international organizations. During the event, the Guidelines, Training Manual, and Training Program Curriculum for K9 Units in BiH were presented. These documents provide dog handlers, instructors, supervisors, and other stakeholders with structured guidance on the effective use, maintenance, and responsibilities associated with K9 operations in law enforcement.

Adis Kilić, Chief Inspector of the Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton, noted that for decades, his agency has recognized the immeasurable contribution of service dogs in carrying out various police activities and operations. The results of our handlers and service dogs have been acknowledged both in BiH and beyond its borders. "It is of utmost importance that, at both a professional and general level, we contribute to strengthening and improving this area of work within police agencies," said Kilić. "We will continue strategic investments in the development of our K9 capacities. Therefore, the ongoing support of the OSCE Mission to BiH to the work of K9 units is extremely important and yields long-lasting results."

"Sarajevo Canton is the most visited Canton and hosts the largest number of public gatherings each year, attended by hundreds of thousands of people," said Tarik Kršlak, Secretary of the CS Ministry of Interior. "This presents a significant security challenge, which the Police Administration of the Ministry of Interior of Sarajevo Canton successfully addresses, thanks in part to our K9 unit, which is recognized at the international level. On behalf of the Ministry, I would like to thank the OSCE Mission to BiH for their ongoing support in strengthening K9 capacities, including logistics, infrastructure, and training."

This activity is part of a broader effort by the OSCE Mission to BiH to assist police agencies in addressing public and physical security challenges posed by the illicit possession, misuse, and trafficking of small arms, light weapons, and their ammunition. The project received financial support from Austria, the Czech Republic, the European Union, Germany, France, Liechtenstein, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Türkiye, and the United States.