Police of Armenia
The Police of the Republic of Armenia (Armenian: Հայաստանի Հանրապետության ոստիկանություն) is the national police of Armenia.[1][2] The Acting head is Vahe Ghazaryan, in office since 8 June 2020.[3]
History
The first police service of Armenia was formed in 1918, under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the First Republic of Armenia. On April 21, 1920, a Militia was formed in Yerevan based on the Soviet model. It was later renamed to the People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs of the Armenian SSR or the NKVD of the Armenian SSR, which was the Armenian subordinate to the NKVD headquarters in Moscow. In 1929, the NKVD of the Armenian SSR was dissolved and was reestablished in July 1934 as a reorganized political department. During World War II, the present-day building of the Armenian Police was built. The Armenian Regiment of Interior Forces of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs was established in 1963, and the Headquarters of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Armenian SSR was founded in 1965. The Police Academy of Armenia, which was then the Secondary School of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was founded in 1984. On June 21, 1992 by order of President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia was formed from the former Soviet Internal Troops.[4] The ministry was active until December 2002, when the ministry, along with the Ministry of National Security, was reorganised into a non-ministerial institution, with the Ministry of Internal Affairs becoming the Police of the Republic of Armenia.[5]
Leadership
The activities of the Police are directed by the Chief of the Police, who is appointed by the President of Armenia at the nomination of the Prime Minister of Armenia.[1] The Chief has one First Deputy and several Deputies,[6] appointed by the President upon nomination by the Chief.[1]
The Commander of the Police Troops is appointed by the President and serves as ex officio Deputy Chief of the Police.[1] Each of the Deputy Chiefs is assigned a sphere of responsibility by the Chief of Police, who is also assisted by a group of Advisers.[1]
Minister of Internal Affairs of the First Republic of Armenia (1918–1920)
- Aram Manukian (July 1918 – January 1919)
- Alexander Khatisian (February 1919 – August 1919)
- Abraham Gyulkhandanyan (August 1919 – May 1920)
- Ruben Ter-Minasian (May 1920 – September 1920)
- Sargis Araratyan (September 1920 – November 1920)
- Simon Vratsian (November 1920 – December 1920)
People's Commissar of Interior Affairs of the Armenian SSR (1920–1941)
- Isaac Dovlatyan (December 1921 – April 1921)
- Poghos Makintsyan (April 1921 – July 1921)
- Avis Nourijanyan (July 1921 – August 1921)
- Shavarsh Amirkhanyan (August 1921 – May 1924)
- Hovhannes Dourgaryan (May 1924 – July 1927)
- Sergey Melik-Hovsepyan (July 1927 – December 1928)
- Sedrak Margaryan (February 1929 – November, 1929)
- Hayk Petrosyan (November 1929 – May 1930)
- Sedrak Otyan (May 1930 – October 1930)
- Armenak Aboulyan (December 1930 – July, 1934)
- Khachik Moughdousi (July 1934 – September, 1937)
- Victor Khvorostov (November 1937 – March 1939)
- Aleksey Korotkov (March 1939 – March 1941)
Minister of Internal Affairs of the Armenian SSR (1941–1991)
- Georgi Martirosov (March 1941 – May 1943, March 1953 – April 1954)
- Ivan Matevosov (May 1943 – August 1947)
- Khoren Grigoryan (August 1947 – March 1953)
- Pyotr Piskunov (April 1954 – August 1957)
- Hayk Melkonyan (August 1957 – August 1961)
- Sergey Arzoumanyan (August 1961 – December 1968)
- Vladimir Darbinyan (December 1968 – September 1974)
- Yevgeniy Patalov (December 1974 – November 1983)
- Haykaz Shahinyan (November 1983 – June 1988)
- Housik Haroutunyan (June 1988 – May 1990)
- Levon Galstyan (June 1990 – 1990 August)
- Karlos Ghazaryan (August 1990 – March 1991)
Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia (1991-2003)
- Ashot Manucharyan (March 1991 – December 1991)
- Valeri Poghosyan (December 1991 – February 1992)
- Vano Siradeghyan (February 1992 – November 1996)
- Serzh Sargsyan (November 1996 – June 1999)
- Suren Abrahamyan (June 1999 – November 1999)
- Hayk Haroutyunyan (November 1999 – January 2003)
Chief of Police of the Republic of Armenia (2003-present)
- Hayk Haroutyunyan (January 2003 – May 29, 2008)
- Alik Sargsyan (May 29, 2008 – November 1, 2011)
- Vladimir Gasparyan (November 1, 2011 – May 10, 2018)
- Valeri Osipyan (May 10, 2018 – September 19, 2019)
- Arman Sargsyan (September 19, 2019 - June 8, 2020)
- Vahe Ghazaryan (June 8, 2020 - Present)
Structure
The Police are organised into the Central Body, and 11 geographic divisions.[1]
Central Body
The Departments of the Central Body are:[1] Headquarters, Combating Organized Crime Main Department, Criminal Investigations Main Department, Investigative Main Department, Public Order Department, Personnel Department, Information Centre, Public Relations and Press Department, Finances and Economic Affairs Department, Administration, Department of Road Inspection, Passports and Visas Department, State Protection Department, Criminal Forensics and Legal Affairs Department, as well as the National Central Bureau of Interpol.
National Central Bureau
The NCB is divided into three divisions:[6][7]
- Division for international search and general crime – responsible for conducting criminal investigations of an operational nature, preparing international notice requests and sending them to the General Secretariat for publication, providing liaison and co-ordination activities, maintaining criminal records, implementing criminal investigations concerning the search for wanted persons. The division comprises 6 police officers including a head of division.
- Division for the analysis and processing of criminal intelligence – division deals with the following areas: legal matters, analysis and processing of criminal intelligence on drug trafficking, fraud, organized crime, terrorism, corruption, counterfeiting, crimes against human beings, international relations support, general reference sources, methodological data, etc. It comprises 6 police officers including a head of division.
- Division for telecommunications and technical support – division deals with matters relating to information technology systems, providing telecommunications services and technical support for the NCB. It consists of 7 police officers including a head of division.
Uniforms and equipment
Decrees passed in October 2002 and April 2003 set the rules for police officers' uniforms.[1] Police personnel are armed primarily with Soviet-made firearms and ammunition, including Makarov PM and Tokarev TT-33 handguns, and AKS, AKM, and AK-74 automatic rifles.[1]
