Thursday, April 23 2020 14:42

ArmInfo. Reforms in the Police system are starting in Armenia.  At the April 23 meeting, the Government of the Republic of Armenia approved a reform strategy and  an action program for 2020-2022.

According to RA Minister of Justice Rustam Badasyan, one of the  reform areas will be the creation of the Ministry of Internal  Affairs, which will develop policies and bear political  responsibility for the reform process. The initiative proposes to  maintain the position of chief of police, provided that he will be  appointed by the Prime Minister at the proposal of the Minister. 

It is envisaged to distinguish between civil service in the police  and military, for example, the administration of visas and passports  and the registration center of investigations. It is also planned to  create a Patrol Service and a single operational management center.  This will happen as a result of the merger of the Traffic Police and  the Patrol Service. It is also proposed to include the Central Bank's  Financial Monitoring Center in the structure of the ministry, as well  as to include the functions of the Migration Service in the new  organizational and legal structure of the police. As part of the  reforms, it is envisaged to reorganize internal troops into the  National Guard. The National Guard may, in appropriate cases,  participate in maintaining public order and ensure the protection of  strategic facilities (the functions of the Main Directorate of State  Guard are transferred to the National Guard). It is envisaged that  the National Guard will participate in the prevention and suppression  of mass riots, in the implementation of anti-terrorism measures, in  ensuring the legal regime of martial law and in emergency situations,  in assisting with search and rescue operations in the event of  natural or man-made disasters, and in ensuring the safety of  transportation special cargo.

Earlier it was reported that the goal of the reform was to transform  the police into modern, specialized and technically equipped,  respected and trustworthy law enforcement forces, to create the image  of a policeman inherent in a democratic law and order. To achieve  this goal, it is proposed to solve a number of issues, in particular,  to review and reform the system of training and advanced training of  police officers in terms of both the content of the program and the  training method, to create an executive body with mechanisms for the  development and implementation of policies, accountability and  civilian oversight, and also conduct a structural and functional  analysis of the police service in accordance with changes in the main  directions of reform.

RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that police reforms are one  of the most important reforms. At the same time, reforms will be  implemented in stages - first in Yerevan, and then throughout the  republic. This is due to the implementation of a number of  educational programs for police officers. The Prime Minister  expressed confidence that as a result of the implementation of the  reform program, progress in the police system will become tangible.