Belarusian Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakou criticised what he described as inadequate oversight of local police inspectors and said personnel decisions had been made following an inspection of the work of a regional economic crime unit.
Speaking at a meeting of the Interior Ministry’s board in Mahiliou, he cited an example of misconduct involving a local police inspector.
“Here is a disgraceful example: by agreement with the head of an agricultural enterprise, a local police inspector was refuelling his personal car using the enterprise’s fuel,” he said.
Kubrakou questioned why the misconduct had not been detected in time by unit supervisors or officers from the economic crime department. He said one of the regional economic crime units had been rated the worst in the country, after which personnel decisions were taken.
Kubrakou also drew attention to problems with equipment and resources for police officers. In particular, he said that in the Hlusk district, the public order unit has only two service vehicles for 11 officers, forcing them to use their personal cars for official duties. He said the issue would be resolved and instructed the ministry’s Finance and Logistics Department to develop a mechanism governing the use of officers’ personal vehicles and compensation for fuel expenses.
The board also discussed an increase in domestic violence cases in the Mahiliou Region involving individuals registered with various authorities and unemployed people. Kubrakou instructed officials to strengthen oversight of such individuals and assist them in finding employment, the Interior Ministry’s press service said.