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Exclamation “Miiirno!” broke the almost palpable silence of a misty morning in the Lipovačka forest near Belgrade. It was an order from the company commander of the Gendarmerie unit to a group of guys in black uniforms, with ghosts on their heads, who, as if it were a signal, were queuing up waiting to see the Serbian flag on the flagpole.
About 30 kilometers from the heart of Belgrade, in a quiet forest of Lipovac, is the base of the Gendarmerie, a special unit of the Ministry of the Interior. In one of Belgrade’s most popular picnic areas, where citizens gladly go to find some peace and a break from the turbulent daily life, the members of probably the most prepared unit in Serbia leave the last drops of sweat. And that is their daily life.
The same thing happened this morning, when the “Blic” reporters had the opportunity to attend the activities of the Gendarmerie. We were interested in how the day of the members of this unit will be.
Raising the flag, then training
On the concrete space surrounded by fog, you could see the flagpole on which the state flag is hoisted every morning, exactly at 8:00 am, in the presence of members of the Gendarmerie. It is the first of a series of activities on the full day of the members of this unit. Immediately after raising the flag, the same strict commander gave the boys a poster in which, as one, they headed towards their changing rooms. Our guides at the Lipovica base explained to us that we were going to the gym where they would show us just some of the many exercises that strengthen the body and spirit every day. This time, martial arts were on the “show”.
When we got to the gym, the unit members were ready: the serious black uniforms were replaced by black T-shirts with the unit’s name and belted pants, black shorts. This time without ghosts, so we saw the faces of these brave men for the first time. At the signal of the instructor, who was explained to us as an expert in martial arts, they divided into groups and began the exercises as one. Salom now resonated with punching bag kicks, performing martial arts stunts, and their bodies hitting the mat “like it was nothing.”
“One after another, they lined up in front of the door …”
At the instructor’s signal, as on a button, the end of this part of our visit was marked, and the boys returned to their changing rooms with the same rhythmic run. One of our hosts, the Commander of the Gendarmerie Detachment in Belgrade, Police Colonel Radovan Radić, announces that a group will be in that concrete space at one point to demonstrate what a building intrusion looks like.
Already through the fog the black uniforms of the young men could be glimpsed, immobile in position to enter the building. Plugged in one behind the other, they lined up in front of the door, while one of the gendarmes held a massive bar propped against the door.
– It is not an ordinary bar, but a tool with which even the strongest armored door can be broken with relative ease – they explained and added that it helps them overcome any similar obstacle.
Shield, pistol, ballistic helmet …
The members of the Gendarmerie had shields in front of them, pistols in hand and ballistic helmets on their heads. Dressed from head to toe in black, we could only see their eyes through the transparent part of the shield … Everything was ready for the intrusion.
Major Dalibor Otović, otherwise the first man at this base, tells us to turn to the nearby building in front of which several uniformed members of the Gendarmerie are preparing to show us the next exercise. On the roof of the building there was a platform while the stairs carried metal bars, from which ropes were lowered to the ground.
At the signal, as one, the boys rushed toward the platform. Moments later they were on the roof, holding ropes in their hands. With incredible ease and with full equipment, they descended one after another and positioned themselves in formation from the side.
Then they climbed the ladder to the ceiling again and performed new, even more complex stunts; this time they descended into the so-called “spider pose” and literally crawled upside down through the facade with their hands and feet, holding weapons firmly in their hands. They controlled the speed of the descent with ease, so, very close to the ground, they returned their feet to the ground.
Combat exercise deep in the forest
After that, we went further into the forest. About ten kilometers from this base, where, away from the public eye, more complex tactical preparations and exercises, such as combat vehicles, are carried out. It’s noticeably colder, the fog thickens, and “Lazar” appears in front of us, a wheeled combat vehicle around which members of the Gendarmerie line up. Right next to them, in camouflage clothing, the snipers lie motionless on the cold ground. Such field conditions, such as poor visibility, fog, and extremely low temperatures, are just a few of the challenges these units face.
The first man of the Gendarmerie, Commander Dejan Luković, explained to us that the members of the unit go through extremely complex and physically demanding training, so that such conditions are not alien to them.
– The Gendarmerie is a highly trained and specialized unit of the Ministry of the Interior, a special unit that is ready to perform all tasks within the Police Directorate. The members are capable and courageous people, who are ready to give their lives for the state of Serbia and for the safety of all citizens of the Republic of Serbia. In most cases, a member of the Gendarmerie could be someone who was a member of the MUP. In the internal competitions that we organize, the applications of our colleagues cannot be more than 32 years old, and when certain verifications and examinations are carried out, we go to selection tests in the Gendarmerie command, and then we go to the so-called 21-day drill, mostly in Jasenovo. . Whoever completes it goes to basic Gendarmerie training for 45 days, although he is a member of the Ministry of the Interior – Luković explains to us how he becomes a member of this unit.
However, this year, as Lukovic explained to us, the opportunity to become members of such a unit was given to civilians, who previously had no points of contact with the police, but to achieve the desired level of preparedness, they must go through difficult “drills”.
– Starting this year, we had the opportunity to fill the civil sector unit, that is, the workforce, for which reason we announced a public competition for the admission of 100 candidates from the civil sector. We have completed the admission process, but the conditions are more rigorous and the age limit is 24 years. This process is coming to an end, we have carried out medical examinations, selection tests and training in Jasenovo, and now we will invite the candidates who have passed the “drill” to come to the basic Gendarmerie training, and then they must complete the basic training police. He is currently detained due to the pandemic situation because we want to protect our people and families, and the candidates. I can proudly say that there is a member of the fairer sex among them – he explains.
“We go where it is necessary”
Designed and trained to perform the toughest jobs and tasks, such as providing public gatherings with a dose of risk, such as parties, political and religious gatherings, arresting dangerous criminals, working with migrants, the unit is ready to appear in all the places where is needed. .
– You are witnesses that recently members of the Gendarmerie are visible in the area of the Sremska Mitrovica Police Department, and we are also in the streets of the Novi Pazar Police Department, to help our colleagues regarding the recent events in that city. Furthermore, our task is to accompany dangerous or convicted persons in cooperation with MUP employees. Also, I must say that we have an excellent and trained diving team, which unfortunately found many people drowned, as well as many criminal cases (guns, knives …). Natural disasters, fires, floods, missing persons, are all jobs that are not closely related to us as a unit, but in which we are engaged if the situation calls for it. If an accident occurs on inaccessible terrain, we also have an alpine team. We were there when there was an earthquake in the Kraljevo area, continuously for a month and several days, involved in helping the population in distress. We do everything that is in the interest of citizens and increases security, so that citizens feel safer, explains Luković.
The Gendarmerie command also has a diving center that also carries out patrol activities in our rivers. In addition, we have a detachment of the Gendarmerie in Belgrade, which is partly in Rakovica and partly in Lipovica. We have a detachment in Nis, and since last year in Aleksinac, there are detachments in Novi Sad and Kraljevo.
– We are divided territorially so that each of the detachments can reach a specific territory in a short time. There is a specialized company in each detachment, whose members are the best of the best – concludes.
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