Uzbekistan is set to overhaul its internal affairs system to enhance public safety, according to a presidential decree. Starting November 1, patrol and guard units will respond not only to incidents in public places but also to reports of crimes and other emergencies in residential buildings. The new system aims to ensure faster response to citizens' appeals and closer cooperation with the population.
The reform introduces significant changes for preventive inspectors (community police officers). They will be required to pay more attention to at-risk individuals and conduct daily targeted preventive work with them. Importantly, inspectors will be prohibited from being assigned tasks unrelated to their professional duties, and only their immediate or direct supervisors will have the authority to issue orders. To protect their work, administrative liability will be established for obstructing their official activities.
Inspectors' powers are being expanded considerably. They will be able to issue administrative warnings for 17 types of minor offenses committed for the first time, apply administrative measures for four types of traffic violations, and review cases involving nine types of administrative offenses that currently fall under the jurisdiction of district or city police department heads and their deputies.
The evaluation system for inspectors is also changing. The primary criterion will be the level of trust they earn from residents. Additionally, authorities will consider the number of crimes committed by at-risk individuals or against potential victims, as well as the rate of repeated administrative offenses. Residents will have the opportunity to express no-confidence in their inspector through voting, the results of which may lead to disciplinary action, including dismissal.
Patrol units will also see changes. From November 1, traffic police and security service patrols will receive information via the "112" system about incidents not only in public places but also in residential buildings, allowing them to respond promptly. On 24-hour gastronomic streets, public order will be maintained under contracts between internal affairs bodies and local administrations.
Participants in mass events who violate public order may face temporary restrictions on attending such events in the future. Additionally, patrol and guard units will take on some road safety functions, including helping to eliminate traffic jams at intersections, near markets, large shopping centers, educational institutions, and on central streets. They will also be required to respond promptly to road offenses and crimes, take preventive measures, ensure public order, and provide first aid to victims.
Traffic police officers are gaining additional powers to maintain public order. They will be able to stop offenses on streets and in public places, pursue and detain violators, and deliver them to internal affairs bodies. Furthermore, they will be authorized to review cases involving certain administrative offenses, such as improper disposal of solid household and construction waste, dumping liquid household waste, and consuming alcohol in public places.
Earlier reports detailed how Uzbek citizens will be able to express no-confidence in their district inspectors.
Source: podrobno.uz