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Interior Minister Taulant Balla, accompanied by the Director of DVP, Durres Skender Hita, held a meeting with the structures of the Police Station in Kavaja, where he emphasized the need for deepening the process of self-cleaning of the police ranks and increasing public confidence.
The Minister also underlined the commitment to improve the financial conditions, both in terms of the general salary through changes in the next budget, as well as for the payments of additional hours that were approved at the last meeting of the government.
Balla pointed out that a commendable job has been done by the structures of the Kavaja Commissariat during the tourist season. He thanked the employees for the successful completion of the season.
“This Commissariat covers an important coastline and with a very large number of hotels and a very large number of tourists who visit the entire coast together with the part covered by the Directorate of Durrës as a whole. We must be prepared for next year, which will be a year with even greater numbers than the one we had. That’s why we thought of creating a National Security Force, which would support the police stations”, the minister emphasized.
He further explained the financial treatment of police officers, with overtime payments and the increase in the budget.
“The task of the Minister of the Interior is directly related to the proper financial treatment of police officers. We have passed a normative act in the government where we provide a solution to all overtime payments or obligations, which comes into effect immediately. In the following days, payment will be made for every hour outside the working hours and I will follow it up personally”, declared Balla.
“I know that the current salary of police officers is very low compared to the needs of every family of a police officer. With the 2024 state budget, we will have an increase, which is probably not enough, but it is a big step compared to the current stage”, he underlined.
Regarding the other issues raised, the minister said that they are working to solve them quickly.
“It is very important that in the process of restoring public trust in the State Police, this should also be accompanied by a new approach that people should have towards the uniform of the police officer”, said Balla in Kavajë.
The minister also stopped at the process of cleaning the ranks of the police from individuals who betray the uniform.
“While we continue the process of self-cleansing the ranks of the police from individuals who with their actions betray the actions of the police, I am very sure that we will increase the trust of the citizens in the organization of the “State Police”, he said.
He then focused on the School Safety Package, especially on the identification and capture of drug dealers in school premises.
“We must be vigilant against anyone who tries to do business with children’s health, selling them narcotics. A large part here have children in high school and know how important this is and what the citizens expect. From a poll a few days ago, 6 out of 10 people think that school safety is one of the most important things, and this is also related to the distribution of narcotics”, the Minister underlined.
Regarding the fight against crime, the Minister emphasized that there is a good commitment of the police forces of all departments.
“I want to mostly encourage the Criminal Police Department to focus on what we call old, unsolved incidents, but also to focus on another part that I think is important, on identification and arrest of persons, who turn out to have convictions, but are not currently before justice or in the institutions serving the sentence.
In the directorate of Durrës and in the police station of Kavaja, we have a list of persons which was made known to you by the General Director and we must insist on implementing the decisions of the courts and bringing them to justice”, stressed Balla.
Minister also continued meetings with all Police structures throughout the country in fulfillment of the promise to directly contact every police unit from the center to the base.
/abcnews.al
