Moscow City Police

The Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the City of Moscow, commonly called the Moscow Police, is the main police force for Moscow, Russia. It is part of the larger Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and works to keep people safe, solve crimes, and maintain order in the city.

As of 2010, the Moscow Police had about 50,500 officers, making it the largest regional police force in Russia. Its headquarters are located at 38 Petrovka Street in the Tverskoy District of Moscow. The leader of the Moscow Police is chosen by the President of Russia based on the suggestion of the Minister of Internal Affairs. Oleg Baranov became the chief of the Moscow Police on September 23, 2016.

The Moscow Police has a long history, dating back to its founding in 1722. During the Soviet era, it was known as the Moscow Municipal Militsiya. In 2011, then-President Dmitry Medvedev renamed it during the Russian police reform, giving it its current name. It remains one of the oldest police forces in Russia and the world.

History

The Moscow police began in 1722 when the first city police started under Peter I. In 1917, new rules changed the police to a workers' group. Over the years, the police went through many changes in how they were organized.

In 2011, big changes happened to make the police better, and some top police leaders left their jobs.

Structure

1st Operational Regiment (mounted police)

The First Operational Regiment, also known as the mounted police, helps keep parks safe, prevents crime, and maintains order at big public events like concerts and sports games. There are about 1,000 police officers and 255 horses in this unit. Their headquarters is located on Airport Street, Viktorenko 10.

2nd Regiment of operational police

The 2nd Regiment of operational police was formed in 2004 by combining three older police groups in Moscow. They are responsible for patrolling and keeping order during large public events. This unit reports directly to the top police leaders in Moscow and is the second largest police group after the riot police.

Zonal center for dogs trainers

Moscow has a large center for training police dogs. These dogs are taught to find things like medicines that shouldn’t be there, dangerous items, and weapons. The dogs live in a special area near Moscow, where they have their own spaces for resting and training. Different kinds of dogs are used, including German Shepherds and Labradors. Each dog works with a special trainer who stays with them their whole careers.

MUR

The Moscow Criminal Investigations Department is a part of the main police department in Moscow. It includes teams that investigate crimes across the city. This department has a long history, dating back to the 1600s.

Divisions

Directorate for Public Order

The Directorate for Public Order manages keeping order in Moscow. Its main jobs include organizing police patrols, making sure events like cultural and sports activities are safe, and keeping people secure during these events.

Riot Police unit

On October 23, 1987, a special police unit was created from the 2nd Regiment. This unit’s main jobs are to keep events safe, help during emergencies, and support during difficult situations.

Moscow City Police Commissioners

The Moscow City Police Commissioner, officially known as the Head of Internal Affairs of Moscow, leads the police force in Moscow. This leader is chosen by the Mayor of Moscow and works under the Mayor's guidance. Their job includes managing daily police operations and choosing deputies and other officers. The Commissioner is a police administrator selected by the Mayor after approval from the Moscow City Duma and a recommendation from the President of Russia.

Currently, the Commissioner is Oleg Baranov, appointed by Mayor Sergey Sobyanin and starting his role on September 23, 2016. Some of the longest-serving Commissioners were Nikolai Arapov and Lev Tsinskiy, each serving for 12 years in different time periods.