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COP SHOP SHAKEUP: ARMENIAN POLICE UNDERGOING PERSONNEL CHANGES UNDER NEW CHIEF
Vladimir Gasparyan
ArmeniaNow
10.11.11 | 12:40
Photo: www.police.am
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Large and smaller personnel changes have been taking place within
the Armenian national police system after Vladimir Gasparyan took
over as new chief earlier this month.
The lieutenant-general known for frequently dispensing with manners
in dealing with his subordinates is said to have already addressed
some tough remarks to his new inferiors at a recent meeting.
While the media have been calling current changes within the police
a major shakeup and alleging that former chief of military police and
deputy defense minister Gasparyan, who was appointed Police Chief on
November 1, has been getting rid of his predecessor Alik Sargsyan's
loyalists in the system, the police have issued an official statement,
describing such reports as "rumors and gossip". Police warn that such
allegations impede their normal operation and have "an adverse effect
on the moral and psychological atmosphere within the system."
"The personnel changes taking place within the system are not an end
in itself and are aimed at improving and enhancing the efficiency of
work," the police said in the statement.
Several senior police officers have been dismissed from their jobs
as part of the ongoing changes. Among them was chief of the police
in Yerevan's Erebuni district Grigor Grigoryan, whose deputy Mihran
Keshishyan is now on the run (he is suspected of receiving a $13,000
bribe and has been sacked from his police job). Chief of the Yerevan
Police Department Nerses Nazaryan has confirmed that Grigoryan's
dismissal is connected with the case of his deputy. Gagik Gabrelyan,
a former senior policeman in Yerevan's Kanaker-Zeytun district,
has been appointed to succeed him in the post.
Among those dismissed was also Nor-Nork district police chief Mushegh
Ohanyan (brother of Margar Ohanyan, the former Road Police Chief, who
was charged with embezzlement of petrol, dismissed and put in detention
pending trial earlier this year). Ohanyan was appointed chief of the
Metsamor division of the Armavir Regional Police Department. Deputy
Chief on Operative Affairs of the Central Police Department Grigor
Amirkhanyan was appointed new chief of Yerevan's Nor-Nork district
police. Interestingly, the former chief of the Armavir Regional
Police Department was reportedly subjected to disciplinary action over
"blurred" colors and worn-out appearance of the national flag placed
on the Metsamor station, "which was not timely sighted by the chief,
and the flag was replaced with a new one only after a corresponding
publication in the media."
Several other dismissals, reshuffles and even demotions have taken
place in other police departments.
Yerevan Police Chief Nazaryan, whose possible resignation has been
a subject of media speculation lately, has been denying such reports
in recent days more confidently than before. On one occasion he told
media that the new chief of police had said to him that "we must work
together better and longer".
Still before the dismissal of Alik Sargsyan and Gasparyan's appointment
as his successor the media in Armenia had speculated about Nazaryan's
ambitions to become the chief of the national police.
On November 1, when introducing Gasparyan to his future staff,
President Serzh Sargsyan said that "the police of Armenia needs leaders
like Vladimir Gasparyan" and that from now on "people will feel more
protected". In his turn, Gasparyan made assurances that within a short
period of time the reforms launched in the system would be brought to
their "logical conclusion" and the tasks set to the police would be
"solved in due manner", resulting in the enforcement of rule of law
in society.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Vladimir Gasparyan
ArmeniaNow
10.11.11 | 12:40
Photo: www.police.am
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Large and smaller personnel changes have been taking place within
the Armenian national police system after Vladimir Gasparyan took
over as new chief earlier this month.
The lieutenant-general known for frequently dispensing with manners
in dealing with his subordinates is said to have already addressed
some tough remarks to his new inferiors at a recent meeting.
While the media have been calling current changes within the police
a major shakeup and alleging that former chief of military police and
deputy defense minister Gasparyan, who was appointed Police Chief on
November 1, has been getting rid of his predecessor Alik Sargsyan's
loyalists in the system, the police have issued an official statement,
describing such reports as "rumors and gossip". Police warn that such
allegations impede their normal operation and have "an adverse effect
on the moral and psychological atmosphere within the system."
"The personnel changes taking place within the system are not an end
in itself and are aimed at improving and enhancing the efficiency of
work," the police said in the statement.
Several senior police officers have been dismissed from their jobs
as part of the ongoing changes. Among them was chief of the police
in Yerevan's Erebuni district Grigor Grigoryan, whose deputy Mihran
Keshishyan is now on the run (he is suspected of receiving a $13,000
bribe and has been sacked from his police job). Chief of the Yerevan
Police Department Nerses Nazaryan has confirmed that Grigoryan's
dismissal is connected with the case of his deputy. Gagik Gabrelyan,
a former senior policeman in Yerevan's Kanaker-Zeytun district,
has been appointed to succeed him in the post.
Among those dismissed was also Nor-Nork district police chief Mushegh
Ohanyan (brother of Margar Ohanyan, the former Road Police Chief, who
was charged with embezzlement of petrol, dismissed and put in detention
pending trial earlier this year). Ohanyan was appointed chief of the
Metsamor division of the Armavir Regional Police Department. Deputy
Chief on Operative Affairs of the Central Police Department Grigor
Amirkhanyan was appointed new chief of Yerevan's Nor-Nork district
police. Interestingly, the former chief of the Armavir Regional
Police Department was reportedly subjected to disciplinary action over
"blurred" colors and worn-out appearance of the national flag placed
on the Metsamor station, "which was not timely sighted by the chief,
and the flag was replaced with a new one only after a corresponding
publication in the media."
Several other dismissals, reshuffles and even demotions have taken
place in other police departments.
Yerevan Police Chief Nazaryan, whose possible resignation has been
a subject of media speculation lately, has been denying such reports
in recent days more confidently than before. On one occasion he told
media that the new chief of police had said to him that "we must work
together better and longer".
Still before the dismissal of Alik Sargsyan and Gasparyan's appointment
as his successor the media in Armenia had speculated about Nazaryan's
ambitions to become the chief of the national police.
On November 1, when introducing Gasparyan to his future staff,
President Serzh Sargsyan said that "the police of Armenia needs leaders
like Vladimir Gasparyan" and that from now on "people will feel more
protected". In his turn, Gasparyan made assurances that within a short
period of time the reforms launched in the system would be brought to
their "logical conclusion" and the tasks set to the police would be
"solved in due manner", resulting in the enforcement of rule of law
in society.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress