RA Police to increase security with start of school year

ArmInfo. Starting September 1, Armenian police will switch to a two-week enhanced security regime to ensure child safety and road traffic safety before the start of the  school year. This was announced by Georgiy Khachatryan, Head of the  Professional and Methodological Support Department of the Main Public  Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia, at  a press conference in Yerevan on August 26.

He explained that as part of the "Caution, Children" preventative  measure, police officers will be on duty near schools, escorting  schoolchildren on dangerous road sections, and holding informational  events for children and parents. "The annual 'Beware, Children' event  is aimed not only at preventing road accidents but also at raising  awareness among children, parents, and drivers about road safety  rules. Children are especially vulnerable where adults lack proper  supervision. Particular attention will be paid to maintaining public  order on the grounds of schools and other educational institutions,"  Khachatryan noted.

As part of this effort, he said, events for schoolchildren and their  parents are planned from September 1 to October 1 under the slogan  "Law-Abiding Pedestrian." Khachatryan explained that the primary  focus will not be on punishment for traffic violations, but on  understanding the potential consequences of such behavior. "This is  not simply an intention to share information. We attach great  importance to question- and-answer sessions with children, as well as  practical exercises. This will help children make the right decisions  in various situations," explained a police representative from the  Ministry of Internal Affairs.

According to Khachatryan, the events will be organized on the grounds  of educational institutions with the participation of various police  units. The service, he said, will take place in the morning from 8:00  AM to 9:30 AM, and then continue from 12:00 PM until the end of  classes. The head of the police department's vocational and  methodological support department, the Ministry of Internal Affairs,  noted that they intend to pay special attention to schools located  near roads, especially areas without pedestrian crossings or  appropriate signs. In such areas, the official noted, children will  cross the road in groups, accompanied by police officers. "This will  primarily affect schools with large student populations, where  particularly intense traffic is expected during the first days of the  school year," the police representative explained.

At the same time, Khachatryan emphasized that the "Beware, Children"  message extends far beyond the school gates. He emphasized that child  safety is a shared responsibility, which also applies to the home,  public places, and online spaces. He also noted that police have  already stepped up their patrols in crowded areas ahead of the school  year. Specifically, additional forces have been deployed to large  shopping centers and fairs, where back-to-school preparations are  driving increased crowds. The officers' tasks, he explained, include  regulating vehicle and pedestrian flows, controlling traffic jams,  and maintaining public order.

In turn, Armen Matevosyan, Deputy Chief of the Patrol Service of the  Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia, reported that the patrol  service had been on high alert since August 24. He added that from  September 1 to 11, enhanced patrols will be organized at all  educational institutions. "This will be carried out in two formats:  mobile and stationary groups. Stationary groups will be deployed near  schools directly adjacent to the roadway, while mobile groups will  ensure children's safety in other areas," Matevosyan explained.

He also touched on one of the pressing issues facing Yerevan ahead of  the start of the school year: traffic congestion. The deputy chief of  the patrol service acknowledged that traffic congestion remains a  pressing issue for the capital today, and that the police are holding  discussions with the Yerevan City Hall regarding the matter. "It's  clear to everyone that there are a lot of cars in the capital, and  our roads aren't designed for such a volume of traffic. The increase  in traffic is also due to the fact that some parents bring their  children to schools and kindergartens from the regions, which further  increases the number of cars on the capital's streets. Therefore,  it's safe to say that we're always working in an enhanced mode. But  we must understand that traffic jams aren't just a police problem,"  Matevosyan concluded.