The 1959 Civil Order Reform Act was a transformative piece of legislation that restructured the security apparatus of the Divine Republic of Kresimiria.
Proposed by the newly elected Chair of the Assembly and leader of Blue Dawn, Leon Rukavin, the Act formally separated domestic policing from the military chain of command. It formalised the Civil Order Force (COF) as a distinct branch under the Council for Internal Affairs (CIA), ending the practice of using Kresimirian Army regulars for routine street patrols which had been common since the Great Purge of 1955.
The Act marked the beginning of the end of the “Iron Era.” While it did not reduce the authoritarian power of the state, it bureaucraticized it, moving the Republic away from martial law toward a modern police state.
Background
The Iron Era Fatigue
Throughout the 1950s, under Chancellor Kresimirovic II, the military was the primary instrument of domestic order. Soldiers manned checkpoints in Sinj and patrolled the streets of Novi Otonik. This led to high tension, frequent abuse of power, and low morale within the Army, which viewed policing as beneath its dignity.
The Rukavin Shift
Following the death of Luka Matar in June 1959, Leon Rukavin assumed leadership of Blue Dawn. A pragmatist, Rukavin recognized that the visible military occupation of Kresimirian cities was fueling resentment and radicalism, particularly in the north. He proposed the Act to “return the Army to the barracks and the law to the officers.”
Key Provisions
- Creation of the COF: The Act established the Civil Order Force (colloquially “The Greycoats”) as a uniformed gendarmerie responsible for riot control, traffic enforcement, and checkpoint security.
- Transfer of Authority: Domestic security jurisdiction was transferred from the Council for Defence to the Council for Internal Affairs.
- Prohibition on Military Policing: The Kresimirian Army was legally barred from conducting law enforcement operations within the Republic, except in designated “Zones of Rebellion” (a clause maintained for District X).
Passage
The bill faced resistance from the Sons of Kresimir, who argued it showed weakness in the face of the Bosken insurgency. However, it was supported by:
- General Borna Kulas: The Chief State Councillor supported the move, as it consolidated his personal power. By moving the police into the CIA, Kulas gained command over a massive armed force independent of the Army generals.
- The CRF supported the bill, viewing the demilitarization of the streets as a necessary step toward civil liberty.
- The newly formed Vjetrusa party under Dominik Loncar strongly opposed the bill. Loncar, former Councillor for War (leader of the Kresimirian Army) was against authority being transferred away from the military to civilian police.
The Act passed 10-8.
| Senator | Vote |
|---|---|
| Vladi Korunic (BD) | For |
| Ante Brov (BD) | For |
| Adam Corak (CRF) | For |
| Vanja Zulim (BD) | For |
| Sonja Tolik (CRF) | For |
| Kler Blnic (SoK) | Against |
| Imanuel Iric (BPP) | For |
| Neda Jovan (SoK) | Against |
| Nika Radman (BD) | Against |
| Zoran Banit (VJ) | Against |
| Leon Rukavin (BD) | For |
| Dominik Loncar (VJ) | Against |
| Davor Banit (SoK) | Against |
| Jelena Savlek (CRF) | Yes |
| Sonja Duval (CRF) | For |
| Dragan Senar (VJ) | Against |
| Josip Novak (BD) | Against |
| Ivic Davor Kovrekovic (BD) | For |
| Adin Vedran | - |
| Aida Merjem | - |
Legacy
The Act successfully professionalized Kresimirian policing. However, it did not prevent the 1960 Bombing of Karlovac University the following year. In fact, historians argue that the transition period between Army and COF control created security gaps that BRC-21 exploited.
Nevertheless, the structure created by the 1959 Act remains in place. The Civil Order Force became the primary tool of state control for decades, enforcing the internal passport system and quelling the labor strikes of the 1980s.