Moscow: Russia is to dismiss over two
lakh police personnel for failing re-qualification tests under
the ongoing police reforms designed to reshape the Soviet-era
militia into a force of a civil society.
President Dmitry Medvedev announced that in total
226,900 police personnel will be dismissed from August 1 and
their posts abolished.
"Let me remind you that 183,000 individuals were fired
or removed from their corresponding positions at the Interior
Ministry at the first stage of the reform," the President said
while addressing chiefs of law enforcement agencies yesterday
at the Kremlin.
"During the attestation period, 48,000 officers were
declined full employment and will soon be dismissed," the
President was quoted as saying in the transcript of his speech
posted on the Kremlin website.
About one million police personnel, including top
generals of Interior Ministry were required to undergo
attestation procedures by August 1 deadline, which according
to local media reports also included verification on
lie-detectors.
Under the reform which not only provides the renaming
of militia into police, but also steep hike in wages from
January 1, 2012 and other perks of the police force will be
cut by 22 per cent.
"This is a major reduction and a very significant
change in personnel, regardless of what is said or written
about it," Medvedev said.
The local media reported about the tainted police
generals and other senior officers getting cushy jobs after
dismissal from the force and is sceptical about a drop in
police corruption after the reform.
PTI
