The Police of the Republic of Armenia is the national police of Armenia. The Acting head is Vahe Ghazaryan, in office since 8 June 2020.
History
The first police service of Armenia was formed in 1918, shortly before the Russian invasion 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 the war period, 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 were formed from the former Soviet Internal Troops. The ministry was active until December 2002, when the ministry, along with the Ministry of National Security, was reorganised as a non-ministerial institution, with the Ministry of Internal Affairs becoming the Police of the Republic of Armenia.
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. The Chief has one First Deputy and several Deputies, appointed by the President upon nomination by the Chief. The Commander of the Police Troops is appointed by the President and serves as ex officio Deputy Chief of the Police. 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.
The Police are organised into the Central Body, and 11 geographic divisions.
Central Body
The Departments of the Central Body are: 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:
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.
Divisions
There is one police department for the city of Yerevan, and one for each of the 10 Marzer.
