Promo-LEX Association says the restoration of sector police posts in each locality after annulling these in 2011 and 2012 could reverse the process of implementing the concept of community police. Commenting on the initiative launched by Prime Minister Ion Chicu, Promo-Lex said this initiative could lead to the non-utilization and wasting of the financial resources allocated during the last few years for reforming the police and would annul the efforts made in this regard, IPN reports.
According to the Association, which monitored the police reform process, the failure of the reform could diminish the central public authorities’ credibility before the people and the foreign development partners. In 2016–2019, which was the implementation period of the police development strategy, the number of police sectors was reduced from 205 to 173.
Promo-LEX noted that between 2016 and 2019, the activity of police sectors under the management of a police sector chief was optimized according to the specialization principle, as the work of employees in administrative territories served by a police post is an outdated practice that does not meet the current needs.
During the past four years, up to 15% of the posts at the General Police Inspectorate remained vacant and moratoriums were instituted on these or extended for 2019–2020. Promo-LEX welcomes the initiative to increase the salaries of sector police officers and to outfit these, but considers that the same benefits should be provided to all police employees. According to the Association, as long as moratoriums on vacancies are instituted through state policies and no effort is made to fill these, the pay raises and equipment will not help increase the quality of services and will not ensure a prompt reaction to people’s necessities.
Promo-LEX is inclined to believe that authorities’ statements concerning the institution of a sector police post in each locality means recognition of the mistake made when adopting the moratorium on the employment of 2,684 persons at the Ministry of the Interior and pressing necessity of increasing, especially the number of sector police officers.
