4.10 Office in Yerevan Background The OSCE Office in Yerevan (the Office) provides long-term support to the Armenian Police in developing democratic policing practices and implementing reform programmes. The overall aim of police assistance programme and police reform is to increase trust and confidence in the police. In 2014, the Armenian Police continued working on the expansion of community policing in all Armenian provinces as one effective tool for increasing trust in the police. In particular, new community policing units were established in all Armenian regions and agreement was reached with the municipalities to establish new police contact points and outreach stations. Moreover, in order to ensure the sustainability and continuity of the introduction of the community policing model in Armenia, the Government approved an updated Charter on Community Policing in 2014, based on the proposal of the Armenian Police, which encompasses the main approaches to the community policing in Armenia. During 2014, the Office organized a number of round-table discussions with the participation of international experts, which were dedicated to issues related to co-operation and partnership between the police, the mass media, civil society, local authorities and others. Over 180 representatives of the mass media, civil society and state partners participated in the discussions. In 2014, the Gallup International Association conducted a survey in Yerevan, according to which 52 per cent of citizens of Yerevan positively assessed the recent improvements in the police system. In 2014, within the frame of the reforms in the criminal justice sector, the Police Investigative Department separated from the police and in July a unified independent investigation body, the Investigative Committee (combining relevant departments of the police and Ministry of Defence), was created to improve the professionalism and the independence of the investigators. Community Policing - Police Reform and Oversight On 19 June, the Office, jointly with the Armenian National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs and the Geneva Centre of the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF), organized an international seminar on “Police Reform and Police Oversight”. During the event, international experts from the UK and Montenegro introduced their countries’ experiences in police reforms in general and in police oversight and monitoring mechanisms. Over 50 participants from various departments of the Armenian Police, relevant governmental institutions and members and experts of the Parliamentary Commission were presented with information pertaining to generally accepted international best practices. On 18 November, the Office also supported the Standing Committee on Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia in organizing parliamentary hearings on Police Accountability, Transparency and Parliamentary Oversight, which brought together stakeholders from all key actors in the field. From 18-21 November the Office, jointly with the OSCE Secretariat TNT/SPMU, organized a series of presentations of the OSCE guidebook Police Reform within the Framework of Criminal Justice System Reform, which was translated into Armenian and published by the 125