Tourist police serves as a powerful argument in assessing the reliability of a tourist destination for visiting by foreign tourists. This unit, as an ambulance service in medicine, helps foreigners solve problems in a foreign country.
Features of the tourist police service, the appropriateness of a new unit in the context of Russian reality, the competent opinions of experts on this matter - this and much more is covered in the article.
What is a tourist police
A year ago, a new phenomenon arose in police practice, which is responsible for the formation of Russia's image as a tourist region. The tourist police is a special unit for the protection of public order. It exists in several countries with resort regions. Purpose - prevention of offenses on tourist routes and destinations, assistance in solving problems to foreign citizens, settlement of issues of their stay in a foreign country.
Tourist police is an innovation that not everyone knows about. Moreover, the expediency of its existence, one might say, is the imperative of the time. The creation of the structure was initiated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The duties of this unit are to ensure a safe stay for guests of the capital, maintaining the image of Moscow.
History of creation
If this fact is an innovation in our country, then for other states it is a practice with an already established concept and accumulated experience. In Latvia, Georgia, Egypt, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, the tourist police serves as patrols of outdoor areas. If necessary, it is obliged to provide assistance to foreign citizens.
As mentioned above, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation initiated the creation of the first tourist police unit in Russia. It was a trip to one of these countries - Israel - Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev that became the immediate reason for the innovation. However, not everyone supported the idea; time and practice will show its expediency. Currently, the activities of such a unit are carried out in Moscow during the year.
Tourist police in foreign countries
As a rule, specialized police units exist in countries with a high level of visits to foreigners. These are tourist regions, resorts, cultural centers.
The purpose of the police special forces is to resolve conflicts, problems that arise with minimal losses. As a rule, social tasks from the “help” area are not set for foreigners here. What is the difference between tourist police? Reviews of tourists who are "lucky" to deal with foreign cops carry warnings:
- Have at least copies of identification documents with you.
- Be patient. The proceedings are fairly bureaucratic.
- Hire a translator.
If it is an Asian country, for example, the Kingdom of Thailand, Egypt or the UAE, then the police representative more and more protects the interests of his citizens. All representatives of the unit are easily recognizable - they wear a bandage with the inscription "Police touristic".
The toughest tourist police are in the United Arab Emirates. This is explained quite simply. In the country itself, the punishment for crimes is so tough that the percentage of crime tends to zero. More problems arise precisely with foreigners on the problems of alcoholism and drugs.
The first practice in Moscow
About two hundred people initially started work. A requirement for the composition, in addition to the general, presented to the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was a basic knowledge of a foreign language. Help is not enough to confirm their level of ownership. It is required to pass a special examination for admission, which takes into account the specifics of the police. Officially announced that the direct duties of the police special forces include:
- The provision of information services.
- Assistance in solving travel problems.
- Prevention of offenses at historical sites and routes.
Work in the tourist police to attract high-quality labor resources also has financial motivation - a special bonus to the police rate is provided.
What's the Difference?
What is the difference between the created unit and other structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs system? At this stage, there are no significant differences in appearance. In addition to the bandage with the inscription “Tourist Police” and name badges. It is planned to provide police segways (electric self-balancing scooter) for the speed of patrolling routes.
Each police officer will be provided with a tablet for the speed of providing information.
Due to this, the issue of providing police with
operational-search information will be resolved
. Increasing the requirements for the level of erudition of police will increase the prestige of law enforcement officers, strengthen the image of the policeman, and the level of confidence in security in the capital.
How to get into the tourist police
Let's talk about employment specifically in Russia. The tourist police is ready to consider applications for work from persons with Russian citizenship, aged 18 to 35 years.
It is mandatory to have a complete secondary, special or higher education, knowledge of one (or more) of the foreign languages. Sociability, erudition, goodwill are the personal qualities of potential job seekers.
You should contact the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the place of residence. Since the current tourist police unit is located in Moscow, the address for the appeal is: ul. Viktorenko, 10 (State Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Moscow). Significant benefits are expected for employees.
Why is it profitable to work in the tourist police?
With a salary of 45 thousand rubles per month, HR specialists pay extra for the length of service, the 13th salary, and bonuses are guaranteed for complexity and special working hours for work in Moscow.
In addition to general, additional benefits are provided:
- For knowledge of foreign languages ​​- a quarterly payment of 20,000 rubles.
- A lump-sum payment after successful service for 10 years for the acquisition or construction of residential premises (Federal Law No. 247 of 07/19/11).
- Holidays from 40 days.
- Obtaining a free higher legal education.
- Payment for study leave.
- Preferential pension after 20 years of service.
- Free use of public transport.
- Free medical care in special medical institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
- Improving sportsmanship.
- Career.
Reviews
The idea of ​​creating special forces does not have absolute support, the attitude to this innovation is different. For example, one of the grounds for a critical attitude is the fact that there are not so many tourists to make this category a subject of police “concern”.
Another reason for abandoning the idea is that the formation of a tourist image of the country is not a priority. And the problems of foreigners should be dealt with by ordinary employees, not the tourist police.
The responses of the special forces coincide in one thing: the future lies with this structure. And at this stage, the creation of the unit emphasizes the importance of developing the image of the capital, the security of Moscow as a tourist center, debunking myths about the dangers of traveling around Russia. So, tourist police are necessary for the country.
The prospect of tourist police in Russia
How did the tourist police in Moscow work for a year? According to the lieutenant general of the police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia Anatoly Yakunin, the unit should demonstrate its effectiveness within a few months and provide grounds for making a presentation to the Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs about the possibility of applying the experience in other regions and tourist areas.
For the annual period of work, an idea was formed about the capabilities of the unit, its perspective, and the needs of special equipment for the police in order to increase the effectiveness of the work.
According to experts from the travel industry, Moscow is one of the safest megacities in the world. The number of crimes against foreign citizens is negligible.
Well-established control of tourist route zones will only emphasize the safety of Moscow for visiting by foreigners. At the same time, information support will solve one of the serious problems.
In Moscow, as in other Russian regions, the designations of routes in the Cyrillic alphabet are accepted, which creates certain difficulties for foreign citizens in orienting. In this case, the tourist police and volunteers, - university students enrolled in the specialty “Service and Tourism”, become indispensable.