Lithuanian experts share their experience in MoI reform

The Ministry of the Interior is a body that should only deal with policies and strategies, and the police and other Law enforcement structures should be un-politicized and taken out of MoI’s influence. This is the opinion of Lithuania experts who came to Moldova to share their country’s experience in police reform implementation, reports Info-Prim Neo. Chief of the Lithuanian Police Department, police general Saulius Skvernelis stated at a roundtable in Chisinau after one week in Moldova he sees a situation similar to what was in Lithuania 12-14 years ago. The reform of Lithuanian police started as early as 2000, and one of the most important steps was the adoption of a new Law, which clearly defined the rights and obligations of each Law enforcement structure. The Minister of Internal Affairs is appointed by politicians, by consensus, but is supposed to be a civilian. Saulius Skvernelis stated that, while in Moldova, he found out that about 70% of the citizens don’t trust the police, which is alarming, in his opinion. According to the expert, authorities must put all their effort into building citizens’ confidence towards the police. “The police must transform from a punitive body into one that would protect and help its citizens, by insuring quality public service”, Saulius Skvernelis noted. Lithuania invested a lot in informational technologies, which have simplified many procedures, added the expert. A centralized database was created, which is accessible to all policemen. Almost every team has computers and printers, thus having the possibility to promptly issue minutes and e-mail them. Additionally, through the database, they can verify drivers’ or gun bearers’ identities. According to Saulius Skvernelis, the police receive their daily tasks through electronic equipment. The teams can be inspected at any moment, because the cars have a monitoring system: the location can be determined, if the policeman is in the car or not, movement speed, the number of times gas was pumped into the vehicle, and other data. The system even allows the inspection of policemen in cases when the citizens’ complain that the former have reacted inadequately to a certain situation, if they are late to the crime scene or have committed a violation. The roundtable was organized by the Center for MoI reform and the MoIPAC Project “Support to the Moldovan Government in field of anticorruption, reform of the Ministry of Interior, including the police and personal data protection”.