User:Arman0507/Police of Armenia

The Changing Landscape of Policing in Armenia

Prevalent issues of corruption as well as the culture of silence within the police force in the Armenia is currently undergoing a massive reform process to change the landscape of Armenia Policing. According to the findings, "Armenia is a country that, according to various NGO reports (e.g. [22] Freedom House, 2010; [54] OSCE, 2010; [59] Transparency International, 2003), suffers from widespread misconduct and features no effective control mechanisms.” The scenarios presented in the study, ranging from bribery to theft and abuse of power, reflect the diverse forms of corruption prevalent in the police force. As stated in the article, "On a scale from 1 to 8, there were only two scenarios (Scenario 3 - bribe from speeding motorist; Scenario 5 - crime scene theft of watch) for which the respondents thought that both the appropriate and expected discipline should and would be severe; the mean values for the overwhelming majority of the scenarios (9 out of 11) were all below 3, thus indicating that the respondents expected and approved of either no discipline or some less severe disciplinary option (Table IV [Figure omitted. See Article Image.]).” Widespread misconduct and corruption within the Armenian police force plagues the country and effects the evolving landscape.

Moreover, the study reveals a troubling culture of silence among police officers. Despite the seriousness of some behaviors, such as theft from a crime scene or acceptance of bribes, the majority of people are reluctant to report the misconduct that they see and/or experience. The article notes, "The results (Table IV [Figure omitted. See Article Image.]) showed that there was a very strong code of silence among our respondents.” This culture and trend of silence aids in the cycle of impunity present in Armenia within the police force and throws a wrench in efforts of addressing corruption within the police force as well.

Efforts to improve police integrity in Armenia face significant challenges. The findings detail the need for reforms aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency within the police force. As stated in the article, "Police administrators interested in curtailing the code of silence would need to better understand the relative interplay of these two mechanisms and their effect on the code of silence.” To address these challenges, Armenia must prioritize reform initiatives and programs that address both institutional and cultural factors. This may involve, but is not limited to, revising existing legal frameworks, enhancing transparency, and implementing anti-corruption measures within the police force. As suggested in the article, "In the case of the Armenian police, the history of both the society at large and the Armenian police carries a heavy burden. Our results indicate that the Armenian police have a complicated and multilayered task that lies ahead of them.” One of the key challenges faced during the reform process was the need to navigate existing policies, laws, and regulations while aligning them with internationally recognized good practices. As stated by the authors, "...After taking inventory of existing policies, laws, directives, and regulations, and analysing them in light of internationally recognized good practice -- designed and delivered instruction programs for police officers at different levels, including leadership.” The reform efforts were aiming to address systemic issues within the police force. In addition, a significant aspect of the reform process involved bringing back community policing, which had been announced in 2012 but had failed to gain traction. It was recognized of the importance of community engagement and collaboration in fostering trust and accountability. As mentioned in the excerpt, "The introduction of a form of ‘community policing’ had been announced in 2012 but failed to gain traction in the interim.”

An approach aimed to bring reform and restructure the environment while ensuring voices of citizens were heard was organized. As highlighted in the article, "In parallel, and as part of a ‘two-pronged’ approach, they contributed to structuring and informing an enabling political (parliamentary) process, including civil society organisations, in close cooperation with the then chairman of the Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs of the National Assembly, Mr Koryun Nahapetyan, though the police force at the time was still kept close to the presidency.”

Furthermore, public awareness campaigns and community engagement initiatives and/or programs can help promote a culture of reporting and accountability among both police officers and Armenian citizens. As detailed, “Observers also highlight a lack of police transparency and public accountability.” Like this, Armenia can work towards building a more transparent, accountable, and effective law enforcement system.

It is very urgent for reforms to take place in order to address corruption and improve police integrity in Armenia. By prioritizing reforms and fostering a culture of transparency and accountability, Armenia can work towards building a more effective and trustworthy police force that serves the needs of its citizens. The police reform process is an ongoing process that requires continuous reflection and implementation. As emphasized by the authors, "It is understood that police reform necessarily is an ongoing process of reflection and implementation on the one hand, structured by focussed phases of more intense political fact-finding and operational structuring on the other.”

Citations:

Fluri, P., & Parsons, T. (2022). Armenia – Police Reform as a Cooperative Effort: Lessons Learned from An International Advisory Mission 2014–2017. Nemzetbiztonsagi Szemle = National Security Review, 10(3), 25–43. https://doi.org/10.32561/nsz.2022.3.3Links to an external site.

Ivkovich, Sanja K., and Aleksandr Khechumyan. "The State of Police Integrity in Armenia: Findings from the Police Integrity Survey." Policing, vol. 36, no. 1, 2013, pp. 70-90''. ProQuest'', https://libwin2k.glendale.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/state-police-integrity-armenia-findings-survey/docview/1302855950/se-2, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/13639511311302489.