Lukashenko wonders whether law enforcement agencies no longer use departmental quotas

MINSK, 21 March (BelTA) – The practice of encouraging law enforcement officers to hit certain numerical goals per time period should be abandoned. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the relevant statement during the government conference held to discuss the operation of defense, security, and law enforcement agencies, BelTA has learned.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “Our society doesn't live in a vacuum and sees everything that's going on. Some people believe that law enforcement personnel are primarily interested in figures and ratings that measure their performance instead of people's destinies. Yes, we need figures and ratings. Nobody argues against that. But if we live purely for the sake of figures and ratings… I'd like to find out whether it is true, whether we have moved away from departmental quotas as a system to measure performance.”

The president stated that not everything has been done to ensure the security and safety of the population. The number of people killed in traffic accidents remains significant.

Aleksandr Lukashenko was also concerned about crimes among military personnel, including crimes committed by officers of various defense, security, and law enforcement agencies. “What is the cause of such phenomena?” he asked those present. The president remarked he had repeatedly directed the defense minister's attention to the inadmissibility of the things that sometimes happen in army units.

“On the whole, not everything is fine with army discipline. We see perfectly well and understand what is going on at the borders of our country. The question is whether we fully ensure the security of our state and citizens,” Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered.

On the whole, the president urged the speakers to provide an analysis of the reasons behind negative phenomena and come up with concrete proposals on sorting out things. “What problems do defense, security, and law enforcement agencies have and what needs to be done to address these problems?” Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered.