Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan chaired a consultative meeting on draft police reform strategy. The Premier was introduced to the reforms planned for 2020-2022. The reform features the establishment of the Ministry of the Interior and the Patrol Service.

The Strategy proposes the following reform priorities: structural changes in the police system and streamlining of functions, establishment of a patrol service and an operational management center, improved efficiency of preliminary investigations, public order enforcement, rethinking of the concept of community police, training and professional development, enhanced human rights protection, transparency and public accountability. The planned activities and the priorities were discussed in this context.

Highlighting the reform, Prime Minister Pashinyan stressed the need for building a new image of the Armenian police officer.

“We need to make police service more attractive and provide the system with highly-skilled professionals,” the Head of Government said, emphasizing the need to ensure social guarantees.

Touching on the system of traffic control, Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the policy should not seek to fine citizens, but to take measures to prevent crime.

“This program is crucial, and I see no obstacles to its timely implementation,” the Prime Minister stressed and gave specific instructions to those responsible for implementing the strategy.

The strategy provides that the Patrol Service will start operating as early as in the first quarter of 2021.