EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST CRO POLICE OFFICER MARKED IN ZAGREB

( Editorial: --> 4140 ) ZAGREB, Sept 29 (Hina) - Croatian Police Day celebrations continued on Tuesday with an official line-up marking the eighth anniversary of the first legally armed unit of the Croatian police. Attending the ceremony at the Police Academy in Zagreb were surviving members of the unit, which was formed on August 5, 1990. It laid the basis for the Interior Ministry's Lucko Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Croatian Army's Tigers First Guards Brigade. The ceremony recalled the first police action conducted eight years ago on this day in Glina, Petrinja and Dvor (central Croatia), when Croatian policeman Josip Bozicevic was wounded. First Croatian Police Officers Association president Nenad Zovak said that eight years ago the first Croatian police officers had responded to the call of the new democratic Croatian authorities in fighting for the independence and sovereignty of the Croatian state. The Association will care for the social and status issues of its members and this is supported by the highest ranking state officials, Zovak said. Interior Minister Ivan Penic said that alongside "love for the Homeland, fearlessness and determination" the police officers had shown "consciousness for establishing a legal and organised police force". (Hina) mbr 292209 MET sep 98