Rector of St Petersburg University re-elected as Chairman of the Public Council under the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region

During the meeting, Rector of St Petersburg University Nikolay Kropachev, a Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was re-elected Chairman of the Council for a new term. Associate Professor Ekaterina Dmitrikova, Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Research on Supervision Activities at St Petersburg University, was elected Secretary of the Council.

The updated composition of the Public Council included representatives of: professional associations; human rights organisations; educational institutions; scientific organisations; national organisations; and religious organisations. Some outstanding workers of culture and art are also members of the Council.

The Public Council is a link between: citizens; public and professional associations; human rights organisations; and the police. The Council members exercise public control over the activities of the internal affairs bodies. They also take part in informing citizens about the activities of the internal affairs bodies and in the implementation of measures to prevent violations of public order. They contribute to the implementation of state policy in the field of combating crime. They participate in public reviews of draft laws and acts regulating the work of the internal affairs bodies. They analyse the opinion of citizens about the activities of the internal affairs bodies.

Police Major General Roman Plugin, Head of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, thanked the Council members for their joint work and made a special emphasis on their informal approach to solving problems and their desire to achieve particular tangible results. ’We have one common goal, peace in the streets of St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region and comfort of the community.’ Roman Plugin emphasised that one of the most important tasks of the Public Council was the development of civil society and increasing confidence in the police.

The Rector of St Petersburg University emphasised that the work of the Public Council in the most acute and high-profile areas, such as car theft, telephone fraud, and prevention of extremism, is carried out jointly with the Main Directorate, and with the support of the city authorities.

During the period of anti-COVID restrictions, the dynamics of the Council’s activities did not change. We worked in compliance with the restrictions.

Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University

During the meeting, the members of the Public Council discussed the work plan for 2023. They outlined the following main areas: work with appeals from citizens and organisations; public control over the activities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; interaction with the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the prevention of telephone fraud, juvenile delinquency, crimes committed under the influence of alcohol and drugs; and assistance to family members of employees of internal affairs bodies who are directly involved in ensuring public order and public security, and carrying out counter-terrorism measures in the new regions of Russia. The participants in the meeting also drew attention to the importance of involving volunteers in the implementation of the Public Council’s projects and publishing information about the results of its work.