Today the community police officers started working in Tbilisi within the frames of the "Systemic Upgrade" of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The Community Police is a new unit of the criminal police, which will gradually replace the outdated concept of district inspectors and district direction of the criminal police.
Mr. Giorgi Gakharia, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia opened the event and addressed the community officers.
„Today is a very important day for us. As you are aware, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been proceeding a Systemic Upgrade reform already for a year and you are the first real practical step to the implementation of this reform. Your function – taking care of our citizens - is the most important thing. The most important component of the Systemic Upgrade reform is the Criminal Police Reform, specifically its specialization in the district, investigative and operational areas.
Today you are making your first steps in one of the districts of Tbilisi. You are the part of the most important component of the reform that is based on prevention.
The steps taken by you should be the restoration and strengthening of the bridge, which is called the trust between the police and citizens. Your most important goal is to take care of our citizens and your mission is to prevent crime. You have to fulfil your functions in the most effective manner, as the calm and safe environment in our city where citizens should work and care for their families will be depended on it.
The Community Police Officer is the highest level of the modern approaches in a police service. It is a component that should be the cornerstone of the safe community. You must gain a higher degree of trust that makes each family to see a caring friend in you. This is a great honor to serve your communities and I wish you success in your first steps towards it. I would like to wish you a worthy service in the interests of this city and the citizens of this country” – Mr. Giorgi Gakharia, the Minister of Internal Affairs Georgia declared.
The Community Police Officer is a model of community-oriented police activities, which is a proven tool for crime prevention in the world. Officers are selected from the current staff; they have undergone intensive professional training of several months and today have started working in Vake-Saburtalo division of Tbilisi Criminal Police.
In parallel, the candidates have been selected for vacancies of a community police officer from population through the open competition; they are currently taking intensive training.
The Community Policing shall be gradually introduced at first in all districts in Tbilisi and then - throughout Georgia.
