President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Friends, colleagues,
I am very happy to be with you on this occasion. I would like to wish all staff and veterans of our nation’s law enforcement agencies health, success, and prosperity.
You have always resolved the most difficult problems of our country, which are important in order for our nation to develop as a strong, powerful state. You have upheld law and order. And today, the law enforcement agencies must protect the rights and freedoms of our citizens, their right to peacefully live and progress.
I think all of us can agree with famous statement by our outstanding writer Boris Vasiliev that being a police officer is a moral profession. The statement really is true, and it is precisely why law enforcement agencies have so much power. It is also the reason why we have such high demands toward the work of each individual officer and the entire police force.
The efficacy of your work is measured through such concrete results as the fight against crime and, to a great extent, the respect and trust of citizens, as well as the overall atmosphere in our nation. No one is as close to our people and to the frontlines of protecting their rights and interests as you are.
It is also clear that this kind of respect can only be earned through honest, selfless work and the impeccable performance of your duties. The majority of the Ministry of the Interior officers are absolutely committed to their work. We see many examples of this every day, because unfortunately, life in our country is not always as calm as we would all like it to be. We have several hotbeds of tension that are very complicated, so there are many examples of heroism by police and law enforcement officers, who sometimes sacrifice their lives in skirmishes with bandits and terrorists. These officers truly value their personal reputations, and these people – people who calmly and honestly perform their duties – are shaping the image of the police force.
The fight against crime is still one of today’s priorities. This will most likely remain a priority for the Ministry of the Interior forever, or at the very least, for a very long time.
You all know quite well firsthand that today’s crime situation is particularly complicated because of the financial crisis that is gripping our planet, which has had a major influence on the situation in our nation. We cannot allow any wrongdoers to take advantage of these difficulties. The duty to protect the health, lives, and property of honest people is an immutable edict for the police officers.
That is why the operation of law enforcement agencies must match the current situation. Police officers must make more effective use of all the most modern means available, including high-tech equipment, maintain a high level of discipline, and keep their training up-to-date.
Even though life is currently difficult, we will continue to invest money into re-equipping technical arsenal of our law enforcement agencies with most advanced devices. We will certainly gradually improve social conditions and raise social status of law enforcement officers.
Clearly, one of our greatest challenges is to prevent crimes from happening. At the same time, I must emphasise that impeccable behaviour by police officers serves as one of the best methods for deterring wrongdoing and improving our citizens’ legal culture.
We must give the issue of countering corruption our utmost attention. As you know, we have enacted respective laws and have just started to employ them. They are not ideal, but we should learn to apply them. I must tell you honestly that these efforts will not cease. In cases when it is required to swiftly amend the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, the Administrative Violations Code, the Law On the Police Force, or any other government regulations, I will make those amendments, because life does not stop moving forward and we must create a modern police force and modern law enforcement agencies.
Our fight against terrorism also remains implacable. The bandits who are committing crimes will receive an adequate response wherever those crimes occur, particularly in the North Caucasus.
Dear friends,
Your service certainly requires extreme self-control, composure (which is a very important quality), bravery, and perseverance. It requires a readiness to risk your lives and health, as well as the ability to constantly respond to the most difficult situations.
I wish you success, and I wish you good results in your very important job. I would like to once again sincerely congratulate you, esteemed colleagues, on your professional holiday, and thank you for your service, on behalf of all Russians.