Police of Armenia

The Police of the Republic of Armenia (Armenian: Հայաստանի Հանրապետության ոստիկանություն, romanized: Hayastani Hanrapetut’yan vostikanut’yun) is the national police of Armenia.

The first police service of Armenia was formed in 1918, under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the First Republic of Armenia. On April 21, 1920, a Militia was formed in Yerevan based on the Soviet model. It was later renamed to the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs of the Armenian SSR or the NKVD of the Armenian SSR, which was the Armenian subordinate to the NKVD headquarters in Moscow. In 1929, the NKVD of the Armenian SSR was dissolved and was reestablished in July 1934 as a reorganized political department. During World War II, the present-day building of the Armenian Police was built. The Armenian Regiment of Interior Forces of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs was established in 1963, and the Headquarters of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Armenian SSR was founded in 1965.

On June 21, 1992, by order of President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia was formed from the former Soviet Internal Troops. The ministry was active until December 2002, when the ministry, along with the Ministry of National Security, was reorganised into a non-ministerial institution, with the Ministry of Internal Affairs becoming the Police of Armenia. The Armenian Ministry of Justice recommended the re-establishment of the ministry headed by a cabinet member in a three-year strategy of police reforms proposed to the government in 2019. As part of a major structural reform of the national police service, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian announced plans to recreate the Interior Ministry. A patrol service became active in June 2021.

On 16 September 2021, the Armenian Government signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Europol.

On 25 January 2024, a more complex cooperation agreement with Europol was ratified by the Armenian government. The agreement will facilitate the deployment of a liaison officer from Armenia's Ministry of Internal Affairs to Europol, enhancing operational collaboration and information exchange between Armenia and Europol. On 2 February 2024, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Police Chief Major General Aram Hovhannisyan held meetings with Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle and CEPOL Executive Director Montserrat Marín López. The sides discussed the implementation of the provisions of the agreement signed between the Armenian police and Europol, as well as joining the SIENA system, among other issues of mutual interest.

The activities of the police are directed by the chief of the police, who is appointed by the president of Armenia at the nomination of the prime minister of Armenia. The chief has one first deputy and several deputies, appointed by the president upon nomination by the chief.

The commander of the police troops is appointed by the president and serves as ex officio deputy chief of the police. Each of the deputy chiefs is assigned a sphere of responsibility by the chief of police, who is also assisted by a group of Advisers.

The Police are organised into the Central Body, and 11 geographic divisions. There is one police department for the city of Yerevan, and one for each of the 10 Provinces. The Departments of the Central Body are: