Police Reform

The OSCE Head of the Strategic Police Matters Unit visits the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan

Marco Kubny Head of the OSCE Secretariat’s Strategic Police Matters Unit of the Transnational Threats Department visited the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Republic of Tajikistan on 3 July 2013.

In the meeting with the Minister of Internal Affairs Lieutenant-General Ramazon Rahimov, the OSCE Office in Tajikistan was represented by Counter Terrorism and Police Adviser Ulf Billving, National Liaison Office on Police Reform Khaydar Makhmadiev, and Counter Terrorism and Police Program Coordinator Dorin Fazli. The Ministry of Internal Affairs was represented by Police Reform National Coordinator Zumrad Solieva and the MIA Press Center staff. 
During the meeting with the Minister the implementation issues of the Police Reform Strategy for 2013-2020, approved by Decree #1438 of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan on 19 March 2013, the creation of a new police model in Tajikistan, the exchange of experience on police reform of foreign countries and the organization of events within the framework of police reform were discussed.
The Minister outlined the progress of the police reform to the guests. He noted, in particular, that at present full time positions of Community Policing Assistants to Chiefs of Police have been introduced; a 24/7 "hot line" has been set up; and voluntary police to promote the public order protection has been established in all urban district internal affairs agencies. A Decree on increasing the role of district police inspectors was signed by the President of Tajikistan and is currently in the process of implementation. New positions for Inspectors of Domestic Violence have been introduced in the Departments of Internal Affairs, vacant positions are filled in, based on a competitive selection, separate reform of statistical reporting on human trafficking and torture is approved, and a number of other innovations promoting the police reform is integrated. Marco Kubny, in his turn, assured the Minister of Internal Affairs that the OSCE is ready to support the MIA RT in creation a Cyber Crime Prevention and Elimination Center, and in capacity building of the law enforcement agencies in the fight against terrorism and cyber crime. He also offered to organize a training for 20 police officers to ensure cyber security, and a study tour for several MIA staff to foreign centers on the fight against cyber crime.
The meeting was held in a professional and friendly atmosphere and both sides expressed interest in future cooperation.