Surveillance Cameras, Sound, and Smoke Detectors to Be Installed in Certain Areas

Surveillance cameras, sound, and smoke detectors will be installed in forests and specially protected natural areas, which will transmit the first signals to the operational management center of the eco-police service.

The maximum number of employees in the eco-police service, being established under the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia, will be 1,176. The competition for the selection of personnel to fill the eco-police service has already started, announced Vladimir Kirakosyan, the head of the eco-police service, at a press conference.

According to him, the central apparatus will consist of 114 employees. The precise number of eco-police will be 1,046, of which 801 will provide around-the-clock protection. About 510 million AMD will be allocated to the eco-police service in Syunik.

The eco-police service will carry out its work through the divisions of the Central Administrative Apparatus and 25 areas of the 7 regional departments of Armenia. Some regions with fewer forested state areas have been merged, for instance, Yerevan with Armavir, Gegharkunik with Aragatsotn, and Ararat with Vayots Dzor, among others.

The service will have an operational management center. In forests and specially protected natural areas, surveillance cameras, sound, and smoke detectors will be installed, which will transmit the first signals to the operational management center.

The center's employees will be able to see on their screens which eco-police are closest to the area and can promptly prevent or stop, for example, a fire or illegal activities. All sections will have drones. If the signal sent from the forest to the operational management center indicates a deep forest area cut, and reaching it by vehicle takes a long time, the inspectors will attempt to use a drone to understand what is happening in the area,” Kirakosyan stated.

He emphasized that they are doing everything to have a fully staffed eco-police service by the end of the second quarter of 2026.

Regarding the salaries specified for the positions, Kirakosyan noted that a junior eco-police officer (no higher education required, with 36 positions available) will receive a salary of 139,000 AMD, a senior eco-police officer will earn 322,000 AMD, and a chief eco-police officer will get 390,000 AMD.