Russia to reform police system

Moscow, Sep 12 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has approved a plan that seeks an overhaul of the country’s police system in order to curb corruption and usurpation of power, the United Russia party leader Boris Gryzlov has said.

In December, Medvedev ordered an extensive reform of the interior ministry in an effort to deal with police brutality, corruption among officers as well as using of officer’s position to suppress citizens’ rights and freedoms.

At a meeting with Medvedev, Gryzlov, who is also the speaker of the lower house of the Russian parliament, proposed that the new plan should outline all police powers.

“My proposal was supported,” Gryzlov said Saturday.

Russian police have been facing criticism after a number of scandals involving police officers, including the random shooting of several people in a supermarket by an off-duty officer in April 2009.

Medvedev had ordered a large-scale reform of the police, including cuts in officer numbers and the increase of salaries.

–IANS/RIA Novosti