At a press conference on the results of the monitoring campaign “Eyes on the Police”, Promo-LEX presented a Monitoring Report on the police. The campaign was conducted in partnership with the Moldovan Ministry of Internal Affairs from 12 to 26 February 2013, throughout Moldova, and was aimed at monitoring the work of public order police in order to improve the quality of their services.

“A team of 45 Promo-LEX monitors visited all the police commissariats in the country and filled in a questionnaire consisting of 42 questions structured around the second and third pillars of the campaign. In addition to police commissariats, Promo-LEX monitors visited 108 random police stations, sectors and/or posts throughout the country,” said Ion Manole, Promo-LEX executive director.

Monitoring results show that the police respect the minimum requirements of professional etiquette and have a conduct that is in line with the status of the police. Monitors reported that the overall behavior of police officers from the public order patrols meet the requirements set in the Code of Police Ethics and Deontology.

“However, the report notes a number of shortcomings in the presentation of information on police commissariats, sections, stations, and posts on the Interior Ministry’s website. The monitors found that both police commissariats and police sections and stations in the field are fairly difficult to find as there are virtually no signs or boards to guide people to the police station premises. The monitors also found that most police officers do not carry visible identification elements and do not have first aid kits,” Ion Manole noted.

“We appreciate that Promo-LEX is one of the most active organizations working with the Ministry, they support us, and when they criticize, they do so with good and constructive intentions. Internal investigations and appropriate action will be taken regarding policemen who were caught in acttions of questionable legality. Many of the recommendations included in the Promo-LEX Monitoring Report anticipate what we intended to do as part of the police reform,” said Ion Bodrug, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs.

“Ensuring an efficient patrol of localities, increasing public order police staff to patrol rural communities; urgent repairs in police stations in poor condition, and a continuous training of police officers in terms of professional ethics, are among the recommendations of the report,” concluded Ion Manole.

The analysis team of the Promo-LEX Program of monitoring democratic processes developed the Report. Data presented in the Report were collected through direct observation, and the conclusions and recommendations of the Report were made in good faith and were aimed at helping to improve the quality of police services.

The police monitoring campaign was conducted as part of a project implemented by UMDPL, Kiev, Ukraine, and funded by the British Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine. The campaign was conducted in six countries: Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Russia and Tajikistan. The conclusions and findings reflected or opinions expressed during the monitoring campaign or in the Report represent the exclusive opinion and position of theauthors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the British Embassy in Kiev.

For more details, please contact: Iulia Munteanu, Press Officer
Tel: (22) 450024, GSM: 069072579, email: [email protected]