VIDEO: Vahe Ghazaryan Presents Structural Reforms in the Police Force

As part of the structural transformation, the police service in Armenia will develop as a professional structure across four pillars: criminal police, patrol service, police guard, and community police.

This was stated by Minister of Internal Affairs Vahe Ghazaryan during a press conference discussing police reforms. "Regional police departments will be abolished, and units in Yerevan and the regions will have their territorial subdivisions, with vertical and effective management," added the Minister.

Vahe Ghazaryan highlighted the completion of the implementation of a new and modern model of the patrol service as an external service in the republic, as well as the establishment of a water patrol unit.

"I would like to emphasize that a new recruitment has been announced to promote the involvement of female officers in the patrol service, where the majority of positions have been allocated to female candidates. Legislative solutions have been provided to issues hindering service in the police ahead of the recruitment, along with a pre-registration process for women and targeted awareness campaigns," said the Minister.

According to Ghazaryan, within the context of the foundational reforms in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, legislative packages aimed at forming community and criminal police have been adopted by the National Assembly, while the package of bills regarding the 'Police Guard' is currently in the stage of state-legal expertise.

"By the way, an open competition has already been announced for staff replenishment in the criminal police, which can also be applied for by citizens. Notably, to ensure the attractiveness of the job, a certification system has been introduced in the police and rescue service, enabling personnel to double their financial compensation based on the results of the assessments. It should be noted that due to the reforms in the police sector, the level of public trust in the police has also increased, as evidenced by research results from international organizations," concluded Ghazaryan.