Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 18 / Trend K.Zarbaliyeva /
Trend interviewed Azerbaijani Interior Ministry Chief Security Department (CSD) Head Police Maj. Gen. Madat Guliyev
Trend : How many sites does the CSD protect?
Guliyev: The department protects over 10,000 objects. In 2009, the CSD took more than 450 sites under its protection. The number of the applicants for protection increases each year. Companies and enterprises, as well as citizens appeal for the protection of homes, garages and other objects. We are the state's security. In addition to the protection of the objects included in the of the Cabinet of Ministers, we protects other facilities such as shopping centers, shops, offices and points of currency exchange.
Q: Recently, the number of burglaries has increased. Do citizens seek security for their apartments?
A: Unfortunately, the Azerbaijani citizens do not have enough tendencies to protect their apartment. This also concerns the CSD leadership. Despite the fact that the number of citizens that appealed to protect apartments has increased compared to previous years, the figures are unsatisfactory. The number of apartments under our protection is close to 2,000. However, this does not satisfy us. We are working in parallel with the Yarasa firm. We protect the apartments by means of special equipment. We would like to ensure the safety of all apartments. In neighboring Russia, citizens are waiting two or three months to put their apartments on guard. Despite the maintenance of educational work in connection with this, the citizens do not show interest in it.
Q: What is the reason, lack of education or a large amount of money needs to paid for security?
A: Based on research, 60 percent of people using seat belts have survived traffic accidents. However, we use seat belts only at the insistence of the traffic police staff. Comparison is nearly the same. Citizens apply for protection of the apartment after the theft occurred. As a rule, we draw conclusions after the burglary.
Q: What is the amount required for the protection of one apartment?
A: The price is very acceptable. The technical equipment and alarm systems will take about 300-500 manat. A guard for a year costs about 250-300 manat. The amount that will go to protect the apartment, less than the amount that we spend a year on telephone conversations. We appealed to the Jarasa company so that some citizens, who can not pay this amount at once, would pay with leasing. And the company agreed to this condition. It is important for the ministry to protect the apartments, prevent thefts in apartments and other facilities. Protection of apartments is organized by machinery and equipment purchased in Israel and the United States. If a citizen is not familiar with the person knocking at the door, he notifies the security service through this system and our employees arrive in the place within five minutes. Or, if there a conflict situation in the house, you can call a security guard. Our employees arrive at a place not later than 6-7 minutes. We have this moment in control and ensure efficiency. Our staff has prevented thousands of crimes, incidents of fire and the events that might occur during the night. Hundreds of crimes were revealed through our cameras.
Q: There are many foreigners and foreign firms in Azerbaijan. How many complaints does the department receive from them?
A: A lot of them, mostly employees of foreign embassies in our country appeal to us in connection with protection. Coming to our country, they, first of all, turn to us for the protection of their apartments. They begin to live in these apartments after ensuring their safety. About 0.5 percent of over 10,000 objects protected by us, are apartments belonging to foreign nationals.
Q: After the incident that occurred in the State Oil Academy, the protection of educational facilities became more relevant. Has this incident influenced the question of security in schools?
A: After this incident the number of appeals in connection with the protection has increased. Some 60 educational institutions appealed to us and presently, our staff ensures the safety of these institutions. There we have installed special equipment and cameras working round the clock.
The Education Ministry instructed the leadership of universities to ensure protection. As the security service is paid, not all educational institutions appealed to us. Management of higher and secondary educational institutions should keep this matter under consideration. To purchase equipment requires about 2,000 manats. This amount should not be problematic for the management of universities. Simply the management of the educational institutions should be interested in this. Employees of our patrol service supervise the vicinity of educational institutions that did not applied, at certain hours of the day.
Q: Did mosques and religious sites appealed for the protection to the CSD after the incident, which took place in the Abu Bakr mosque?
A: we did not receive such appeals from them. Most of them appeal for the protection to private security services.
Q: Do CSD offices operate in the country's regions?
A: The CSD has offices in Baku, Sumgait, Absheron, Lankaran, Shaki, Mingachevir and Guba.
Recently we started work in Ganja. Here we protect first and foremost, banks, points of currency exchange and apartments. The CSD is not interested in involvement of the police in the protection. On the contrary, we reduce the number of police officers in this service. We give preference to civilians and technology. We are the only structure within the Interior Ministry, which operates on the principle of self-financing and pay taxes. The number of police officers in the service is reduced and civilians have increased. The number of our employees is close to 9,000.
Q: Have you ever had any problems with private security agencies?
A: We have healthy competition with them. The citizens themselves must make a choice to ensure their protection. In 2007 a law was passed on private security services. Some time ago, their uniform resembled a police uniform, which caused the problem.
On the one hand, we reduce the number of police in the protection and on the other private security firms looking beyond the law, used a form resembling the police. A police officer should not be dressed in a form with any shortcomings. Police uniforms' each attribute must be in place. The problem was resolved after the adoption of the law. Another problem was the carrying of weapons resembling toys by the employees of these agencies.
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