Question: What’s the similarity between the Chinese and the Armenian Patrol officers? Answer: They both feed themselves by sticks.
Surprisingly even the patrol officers don’t feel bad about speaking about this and kidding. However, soon this riddle and all the other jokes about patrol officers will become outdated. No the patrol officers will not be forgotten, they will always exist. Just their image ill be changed.
The rumors of the change of the patrol inspection legislation were spread swiftly last year. Let’s first mention that the State Auto Inspection Service is eliminated. Now we have a road patrol. The head of the patrol service, Ishkhan Ishkhanyan has been speaking on TV very often recently. He simplified a few things. However, not everything is clear yet because there is the need of several laws to be adopted still. Shortly said, let’s speak about the changes, which are more or less clear at this stage. First, the inspection is going to be done through paroling. This means that there won’t be any stationed Patrol cars. The cars will be pulled over only when there is extreme necessity for that. One of the main changes is the simplification of the order of giving driver’s license. Changes are expected in the technical survey system. Technical survey will be conducted by licensed organizations.
The order of provision of “golden” plate numbers is also very interesting. The issue of acts is not clear yet. A few versions are set to discussion – in case of violation pay the fine immediately or later. The head of the Patrol Service, Ishkhan Ishkhanyan confirmed by “Haylur” that in the result of legal fining the salary of the patrol service officers will equal the incomes gained as a result of illegal bribing. This means that they challenge the inspector to write and act. The Patrol cars must be equipped with cameras, which will monitor their activity. Besides that a new GPS system will be used. These are special devices to be equipped in the inspector’s cars. This device will enable the inspectors to receive information about any car momentarily from inside the car and the operative supervision center will constantly monitor the activity of the mobile patrols. The efficiency of all these means will be visible after the implementation. All those rules were ratified by the #1070-A decision of the RA government, dated July 27, 2006.
The program is planned to be implemented in 2007-2009. As mentioned in the program most part of the equipment used in this sector is worn out. And now it’s time to re-arm. In order to see what devices the Patrol service is going to be equipped with check the www.laws.am website. We will present to you the most interesting numbers. 400 patrol cars will be attained, which are worth 5.575 billion AMD; 50 motor bikes will be bought, worth 420 million AMD and 16 evacuators worth 336 million AMD.
All these patrol cars and bikes will be supervised by the helicopter from above, which is planned to be bought at 210 million AMD. A quite serious amount of money – 5.7 million AMD, is going to be spent on communication means. It includes radio communication, video cameras (at crossroads and in cars), computers to be equipped in transportation means, devices checking alcohol, etc. In the end, let’s just add that the “etc” includes mobile phones. This is not too bad. 319.2 million AMD was spent on creating a computer database.
210 million AMD will be spent on GPS system. Considerable amount of money will be spent on building buildings for plate number provision and inspection. The 15 territorial centers, aerodrome and diagnostic center will cost 6 billion AMD. 86 million AMD will be spent on the purchase of 75 units of transportation means (motor bikes, trucks, etc). In parallel with this many other things will be bought – digital cameras, printers, chips (for making driver’s license).
The total amount of the program makes 22.9 billion AMD, which was equally divided into three years – 2007, 2008, 2009, which makes about 7.6 billion AMD per year. Now let’s speak about the next issue. Where does this money come from? The calculation was done at 420 AMD per 1 USD. The cost of the program is about 54 million AMD. As mentioned in the program in the result of legislative amendments it’s expected to receive 18.1 billion AMD incomes during the period of 2007-2009 (the calculation was done by the policemen). This amount also includes the outer-budgetary means – about 10 billion AMD. However, it’s expected to pay bonuses to the policemen out of this 10 billion AMD. Although it was mentioned about this 18.1 billion AMD, the state budget is going to annually provide 4.1 billion AMD for the implementation of this program during the three years. The rest is expected to receive from the World Bank. They say currently active discussion proceed with this body.
By summing up we may say that the success of the program may not be noticed sooner than 2010. Of course everybody expects to see the Armenian patrol officer as someone, who doesn’t “hide” behind the tree to jump in front of your car to fine you 1000 AMD or someone, who’s scared of “golden” plate numbers. Our officers will hardly pull over their cars to help the old women put their cats down from the branch of the tree just like what happens in American movies. All we want is equality and not to be pulled over without reason.