Discussion on Police System Reforms Led by Prime Minister

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, a meeting of the Police Reform Council took place at the government, where the strategy for police reforms and the progress of the action plan for 2020-2022 were discussed.

Police Chief Deputy Ara Fidanyan reported that the aim of the reforms is to establish a police force capable of responding to modern challenges through the establishment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the patrol service. According to the Deputy Chief of Police, the reforms being implemented will ensure the transparency of the police system and increase public accountability.

It was noted that work is already underway on modernizing the operational management system, as well as the development and implementation of legislative initiatives aimed at facilitating the aforementioned efforts.

This year, a patrol service to be established in Yerevan will operate in three shifts over 24 hours in an 8-hour mode. A total of 2,500 citizens, including some from the police system, have applied to participate in the announced competition for inclusion in the patrol service. More than 700 candidates selected from this competition are currently undergoing the training process. The patrol service will be equipped with new, modern vehicles and necessary technical means, and the personnel will wear new uniforms and attire.

It has been reported that the efficiency of the patrol service will also increase due to the functioning of the electronic management information center in the operational management center, which will enhance control and enable more systematic work.

Next, issues related to the organization of work for the formation of the patrol service in the Shirak and Lori regions were discussed, with a specific timeline established for this purpose.

The next agenda item concerned the progress in the formation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Justice Minister Rustam Badasyan noted that drafts of the necessary legal acts, which have passed the public discussion phase, are already prepared. The legislative package required for the establishment of the ministry is expected to be submitted for government discussion and approval soon.

According to the minister, the goal of forming the Ministry of Internal Affairs is to increase civic oversight of police activity and ensure accountability to the National Assembly as a parliamentary governing state. The new ministry will also differentiate between the functions of the police and civilian authorities: the police will focus on combating core criminal activities, while civilian services will be centralized within the ministry. The latter will also ensure the continuity of reforms within the police system.

An interested exchange of ideas took place regarding the agenda items, with various proposals and observations expressed. Summarizing the meeting, Prime Minister Pashinyan instructed the necessary adjustments to be made concerning the results of today's discussion and to ensure that these activities are carried out within the established timelines.