On 11 November, Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan chaired a working meeting focused on reducing the workload of the Community Police, clarifying its powers and improving the service’s effectiveness.
The meeting was attended by senior representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Police, as well as officials responsible for the relevant areas.
Participants discussed the division of powers between the Community Police and other Police units, the elimination of duplication of work, the transfer of non-core duties to the relevant state bodies, and opportunities to optimise work processes.
Arpine Sargsyan emphasised that one of the priorities of institutional reform within the Police is to relieve the Community Police of unnecessary workload, enabling officers to focus primarily on their core mission: working directly with the community, preventing crime and ensuring public safety.
“By 1 November 2024, we had essentially made the institutional decision concerning the Community Police: its place within the Police structure and the functions assigned to it. However, we agreed that, as the work progressed, we would begin relieving the service of unnecessary functions, because certain duties can occupy a Community Police officer’s entire day, leaving insufficient time for working with the community.
We have regarded this situation as unacceptable from the outset. However, we must also take into account that we had a process of transferring functions to various government agencies, which would require time on the part of our partners as well. We have now objectively reached the point where we need to complete these processes so that the Community Police can gradually move on to performing its core functions,” the Minister of Internal Affairs said.
Addressing the current workload of the Community Police, Arpine Sargsyan noted that the service performs a wide range of duties, from measures aimed at detecting crimes of minor and medium gravity to escorting detainees and persons held on remand. In this context, the Minister emphasised the importance of clearly allocating responsibilities among Police units and delineating responsibilities between the Police and other state bodies in line with each institution’s professional mandate.
In particular, participants discussed the process of transferring responsibility for escorting persons held on remand to the Penitentiary Service. The Minister of Internal Affairs emphasised the need to complete this process in full, highlighting the importance of agreeing with the Ministry of Justice on clear deadlines and the shortest possible timeframes.
Participants also discussed the possibility of assigning escort duties falling within the Police’s remit to the Police Guard, with a view to ensuring an effective allocation of responsibilities.
Attention was also drawn to relieving Community Police officers of the duty of serving notices on citizens—a responsibility established through customary practice but not assigned to the Community Police by law. The importance of developing appropriate legal and organisational solutions was emphasised.
The meeting also addressed the division of powers between the Criminal Police and the Community Police, the clarification of the powers and responsibilities of the Police’s other pillar services, the improvement of inter-service cooperation, and opportunities to digitise work processes.
The Minister emphasised that the effectiveness of institutional reforms must be reflected not only in structural changes but also in visible and measurable results in the Police’s day-to-day work. In this regard, particular importance was attached to clearly defined specialisation within each service, the targeted use of human resources and professional expertise, the elimination of duplication of work, and improvements in the quality of services provided to the public.
Concluding the meeting, Arpine Sargsyan instructed the relevant officials to continue professional discussions, thoroughly examine the proposals put forward, assess the potential risks associated with their implementation, and develop practical solutions with clear deadlines and defined responsibilities to ensure a sustained reduction in the Community Police’s workload and improve the service’s effectiveness.