4.10 The OSCE Office in Yerevan Background The Office in Yerevan contributes to the development of democratic institutions in the country, strengthening civil society, and promoting OSCE standards and principles. Police Reform In 2009, under the auspices of the Armenian National Security Council, a Working Group on the Police Reform had been established, and the Deputy Head of the Police had been elected as its Chair. The Group had been tasked to develop a comprehensive Police Reform Package and within four months of its establishment it had prepared and submitted to the Government a Police Reform Concept Paper and Activity Plan for 2010-2011. Surveys and strategy papers prepared with the support of the Office had been used as a basis for the Reform Concept. On 1 April 2010 the Reform Package was approved by the Government. The Activity Plan covers eleven areas, which need improvement. Some of the areas, such as the Introduction of a New Passport System, require rather technical support, whereas others, such as Educational Reform, Strengthening Trust in the Police, Community Policing, Gender Issues, have a decisive and determining importance in ensuring sustainability of the Armenian Police democratization process. On 1 June, upon the adoption of the Reform Package, the Office organized a presentation of the Package to the OSCE Participating States in Vienna. The presentation was made by the Deputy Head of the Police and the Advisor to the President. On 18 June, the Office facilitated parliamentary hearings of the police reform with the view to introduce to the Deputies the details of the reform process and emphasize the importance of democratic oversight of the reforms by the Parliament. From 18-26 July, the Office organized a study tour of the Police Reform Team to Estonia and Finland. The delegation was composed of high ranking officers responsible for the implementation of the Armenian Police Reform. The aim of the trip was to familiarize the Reform Team with the Estonian and Finnish police reforms, particularly with the establishment of community policing, and structural and educational reforms. Throughout 2010, the Office organized a series of round tables in Yerevan and Armenian provinces to raise awareness of ongoing reforms among citizens, ordinary police officers and the international community. On 24-25 November, the Office hosted a visit by the OSCE Senior Police Adviser. The main purpose of his visit was to get first-hand information about the course of the comprehensive police reform launched in Armenia. During his visit, the SPA met with the Armenian Prime Minister, the Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration, the Head of the Police, the Secretary of the Security Council, and the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs of the National Assembly. During the meetings the OSCE delegation was informed that the Police Reform Action Plan for 2010-2011 was only the first stage of the reform and that the Government, realizing that the reform is a long-term process, would continue the process until 2015. Furthermore, the Office, in the course of 2010, actively assisted the authorities in elaborating the concept of the new criminal procedure code which was to be finalized by the end of March 2011. 78