This paper presents data on crime dealt with by the Slovenian police in 2020 and changes and factors that influenced police work. The statistical data cover only offences known to the police, i.e., reported and detected criminal offences. In 2020, priorities of the Slovenian police in the areas of prevention, detection, and investigation of crime were focused on the more severe forms of crime in different fields of crime, in particular those against the highest protected human rights and freedoms, criminal acts with significant material damage or unlawful material gain, illegal migration, terrorism, and cybercrime. The police dealt with 53,485 crimes in 2020, for which a criminal complaint or report to supplement a criminal complaint. The number of offences dealt with was the lowest in ten years. Mentioned continues the decline in the number of criminal offences dealt with, which began in 2014. The percentage of investigated crime in 2020 amounted to 50.7%, which is on a multi-year average. The ratio of crime detected by the police with its activity amounted to 16.1% and was slightly above the multi-year average. The largest share was in general crime, which amounted to 85.2% of all criminal offences. Economic crime accounted for 14.8% of all crime and organised crime for 1%. Crimes committed by juvenile offenders accounted for 2.2% of all crimes. In statistical recording data, certain methodological changes occurred in 2018, and consequently, individual data are not the same as in previous annual reports. However, mentioned does not affect their comparability. The events in 2020 have dramatically changed the perception of public safety in society and among individuals. Abovementioned was caused by the emergence of a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) or coronavirus disease 19 (covid-19). Its occurrence had a significant impact on security phenomena and, consequently, the work of the police in 2020. The police did not cease their activities during the first declared epidemic, which lasted from 12 March 2020 to 31 May 2020, and the second, from 19 October 2020 to 15 June 2021, as specific government measures to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2 were constantly in force and were changing following the epidemiological picture at home and abroad. State action at the European (international) level has significantly impacted illegal migration and its flow, as transport communications have been practically disrupted in the spring and countries have tightened controls at their borders and inland during the second wave. In 2020, the Slovenian police continued to develop criminal investigation activity with intensive staff training in various fields. A large number of funds was also earmarked for the modernisation of technical equipment. Aware of the international dimension of crime and its global causes, the police has invested much effort in international cooperation and strengthening relations with partner countries in the region and beyond.
