Police reform initiatives in Armenia discussed at OSCE Office meeting

YEREVAN, 14 May 2010 - Police reform proposals and possible areas for co-operation were discussed at a co-ordination meeting today hosted by the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

The Deputy Head of the Armenian Police, Arthur Osikyan, representatives of state and international bodies and experts discussed improving police services, co-operation with civil society on draft legislative initiatives and ways to make international assistance for police reforms more effective.

"The OSCE Office aims to contribute to the process of police reform in the country to further develop modern democratic policing practices, also as a means of reducing corruption, and we look forward to assisting in addressing structural challenges as well as continuing to help build public trust," said Ambassador Sergey Kapinos, the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

Osikyan presented a comprehensive package of police reform initiatives in areas including public order management, police educational reform, traffic police, visa and passport procedures, combating organized crime and internal oversight and anti-corruption. The proposals incorporate the OSCE community policing approach, which has been put into practice in the pilot Arabkir Police District since 2007.

"The aim of the package is to make sure that citizens feel more secure and trust the police. We welcome co-operation with international organizations and in our efforts are counting on the support and expertise of the international community," said Osikyan.

The OSCE-supported police education reform package was presented at the event for inclusion in the country's reform strategy. The Office also presented its publications on democratic policing practices in Armenia.