Passenger profiling during border crossings

In the context of contemporary security threats and migration challenges, border police increasingly rely on passenger profiling as a preventive and analytical tool for protecting public security. This paper analyzes the legal and operational framework for the application of passenger profiling in the Republic of Serbia, both through national and international legal frameworks, linking profiling with the legal definition of risk analysis as a methodological process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data in order to identify potential threats. Profiling as a method allows for a more efficient allocation of limited resources by identifying high-risk groups of persons and situations, thereby enhancing the operational capacity of the border police. The paper presents the operational elements of profiling, including the analysis of passenger behavior, the means of transport, and travel route and time, as well as the identification of unusual travel patterns and the assessment of verbal and non-verbal communication. All these indicators are evaluated in mutual correlation in order to determine a credible risk profile. Profiling is examined within the framework of the principles of legality, non-discrimination, and respect for human rights, ensuring ethical conduct while maintaining analytical precision. The conclusion emphasizes that passenger profiling in the Republic of Serbia represents a functional and integrated component of the risk analysis and early warning system, whose effectiveness depends on the combined assessment of multiple risk indicators. By combining risk analysis, risk profiles, and early warning systems, competent authorities can move from reactive measures to anticipatory strategies, thereby strengthening the resilience of the national security system to increasingly sophisticated migration and security challenges.