President of Uzbekistan issued decree Tuesday introducing as an experiment of the Safe Capital concept as of July 1, which is aimed at “ensuring public order, prevention and combating crime” in Tashkent.
As the Akhborot program reported, the number of crimes year-to-date decreased by 47% compared to the last year - from 5700 to 3020, while percentage of cases solved increased by 94%.
However, as the decree notes, the study of organization of police service found that police units are arranged inefficiently in the evening and night times, when more than half of all offenses are committed, which fact hinders prompt response, monitoring and evaluation of the criminal situation.
The Safe Capital concept envisages round-the-clock three-shift patrolling involving at least 70% of police forces, of the National Guard, as well as the public from 16:00 to 8:00 with an aim to timely prevent and suppress offenses.
Evening and night patrolling will be performed by both foot and car patrol. In addition, 80 specially equipped buses will be allocated to implement the concept to provide mobile communication and coordinating the police forces.
Fidokor yoshlar (transl. Dedicated Youth) public volunteer patrol units will be created from among the youth in each makhalla (neighborhood) in Tashkent.
The staff and servicemen of the Tashkent Public Order Forces will receive a one-time bonus of up to 50% for detection or solving of grave and especially serious crimes, as well as the detention of wanted list persons.
All these measures are aimed at ensuring public order, however in the past there were cases when the patrol units abused powers, when the night patrol were stopping and dragging ordinary passers-by and commuters to police stations even when the latter had IDs. People should not be detained simply because they are walking in the street in the night time. A person has the right to go anywhere at anytime, and is not obliged to have excuses to anyone, be it the patrol or volunteer units. We hope that the decree will not mark the return to the old practices and imposition of the unofficial night curfew.
