Opening the meeting, the President of Kazakhstan underscored that the issues of law enforcement and crime prevention are under his special control.
Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that over the last three years, owing to law enforcement agencies, the crime rate in the country has decreased by 17.5%.
- People, first of all, go to the police for protection from crime. During the years of independence, 779 officers died, about two and a half thousand were wounded. And we must remember it. At the same time, the current state of the internal affairs bodies does not cater to the needs of society, the Head of State said.
The President of Kazakhstan stressed that the existing standards of police relations with citizens went out of date and do not take into account real things.
- Activity of law enforcement agencies fall short of the society’s expectations, giving rise to unfavourable criticism. People do not feel safe. Otherwise, we will fail to guarantee a high quality of life for the people of Kazakhstan, which is our main guideline. Therefore, we should immediately begin to reform the police, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
The Head of State pointed to the need of implementing meaningful and qualitative changes in the sphere of internal affairs in accordance with the directions of the current Address to Kazakhstan’s Nation.
In accordance with the agenda, the meeting heard the reports of Asset Issekeshev, Head of the Presidential Administration and Kalmukhanbet Kassymov, Minister of Internal Affairs.
Taking into account the information provided, the President of Kazakhstan focused on the need for careful study of all planned activities.
Giving notice to the importance of modern reform, the Head of State instructed to make effective the structure and staffing of the internal affairs bodies, as well as to exclude non-characteristic functions.
- It is necessary to get rid of everything superfluous and increase focus on crime control and law enforcement. The links will be optimized, as a result of which there will be not five, but five subordinates per manager. The staff number fell by 10%. These measures will lead to a decrease in the number of police officers per capita from 471 to 424 per 100 thousand citizens, which is comparable to the average European level. At the same time, KZT 16 billion will be saved, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
In this regard, the President of Kazakhstan ordered to send the released funds to improve the system of labour remuneration and social protection of employees. Nursultan Nazarbayev also noted the need to conduct systematic work on finding additional internal reserves and eliminating inefficient administrative costs.
- Additional KZT21.4 billion will be allocated to increase the wages of the police. All that is the people's money. From the taxpayers' funds, we keep the police, the army, and the courts. Therefore, citizens demand that law enforcement agencies fulfil their duties properly, the Head of State said.
The President of Kazakhstan also dwelt on the measures taken to solve the housing problems of employees directly involved in the fight against crime and the protection of public order. These measures will attract new qualified personnel to the most important policing sites and strengthen the units that perform functions of law enforcement and the fight against crime.
The Head of State stressed that the dismissal of a police officer from service in law enforcement agencies for the offense committed would result in the loss of all benefits.
- We need policemen of a new breed. The system of selection, training and promotion of personnel will be revised. Departmental education will undergo major changes. We need modern police academies, the quality of which must meet international standards, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
The President of Kazakhstan noted that out of 12 educational institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 5 of the best will remain; with the most qualified teachers selected, who will also receive higher salaries.
- Acting police officers will undergo unscheduled certification. Only those who meet modern standards will remain. The most deserving will replace those who fail this exam. There are opportunities for quality selection in Kazakhstan - every year more than 20 thousand lawyers graduate from our universities, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
Along with this, the President of Kazakhstan demanded that the internal affairs bodies switch to a service model of work.
- Every year more than 4.5 million citizens turn to the police, but the conditions for their admission have not been created. If a person comes with his misfortune, he should be promptly and politely received. But this is only half the battle. One should deal with his problem promptly and in accordance with the law. This is a modern format of work with the population, the Head of State said.
Nursultan Nazarbayev instructed to create comfortable, technically equipped front offices with a convenient timetable.
- The attitude of employees should exclude rudeness and neglect. When a citizen is a victim of a crime, or there is such a threat, he will not be able to live and work in peace until he is protected, the President of Kazakhstan said.
Nursultan Nazarbayev also instructed to introduce new criteria for evaluating police activities.
- Criteria should be objective, verifiable and reflect the quality performing police functions and evaluating the effectiveness of this work by the population. For this purpose, both statistical data of state bodies and sociological studies will be used. The trust of citizens, their comfort and safety will be the basis for assessing the effectiveness of the police. The pursuit of reporting indicators should be a thing of the past, the President of Kazakhstan said.
In addition, the Head of State emphasized the importance of introducing digital technologies in ensuring public order.
- It is necessary to universally introduce digital technologies into the work of internal affairs agencies. As indicated in the Address, all cities in Kazakhstan will be equipped with public safety monitoring systems. Services will be introduced to improve online feedback to the public. Modern technologies will cover all areas of policing, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
The President of Kazakhstan stressed that digitalization will help reduce corruption, as well as further streamline management units and staff size.
The Head of State also pointed out the need to reform not only the police service, but also other structures of the Interior Ministry.
- Important changes will affect the penitentiary system. Violent offenders will be kept separately from other convicts, the President of Kazakhstan said.
President of Kazakhstan instructed to take measures to minimize crime in the streets and other public places.
- People should be confident about their future, confident in safety and protection on the part of the state. Personal and property security of citizens counts for a great deal. This is the primary outcome measure of the police effectiveness, the Head of State concluded.
