On the country’s Police Day, the “Lelo — Strong Georgia” coalition presented a plan to reform Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).
The presentation featured a discussion on the systemic issues within the Ministry of Internal Affairs and ways to address them. The concept presented by the “Lelo” party includes nine key areas of reform:
- protecting the police from political influence;
- establishing an independent body to monitor police performance;
- appointing officers to positions based on professional merit rather than personal connections;
- reforming the police academy and the personnel training system;
- transparent rules for awarding ranks, promotions, and honors to officers;
- a clear system of salaries, bonuses, and allowances;
- protecting the labor rights of police officers and regulating their working hours;
- new rules for police conduct during protests, based on the principle of proportional use of force;
- reorganizing the Ministry of Internal Affairs, clearly separating the powers of its departments, and establishing an independent anti-corruption service within the ministry.
“Lelo” states that Georgia’s security and democratic development directly depend on having a law enforcement system that is independent, professional, and trusted by the public.
“Today’s reality shows that there are a number of problems in the institutional structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs that affect the neutrality of the police, their efficiency, and the level of public trust.
Our political goal is to build a depoliticized, professional, and community-oriented police force in Georgia that serves the citizens rather than political interests.
In a normal state, a police officer should be a guarantee of safety for citizens, not a source of fear. And a decent police officer must be protected by the system itself,” stated “Lelo — Strong Georgia.”