I. Metshin and A. Khokhorin congratulated the employees of the MIA RF for Kazan on the 40th anniversary

(KZN.RU, August 24, Mikhail Chentsov). The Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the RF for Kazan celebrated its 40th anniversary in the Millennium Square today. Ilsur Metshin, the head of the Tatarstan’s capital, and Artem Khokhorin, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the RT and Lieutenant-General of the Police, congratulated the employees of the Kazan garrison in solemn ceremony and handed the policemen a number of city and republican awards.

Alexey Sokolov, the head of the Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the RF for Kazan and the police colonel, Iskander Galimov, the police colonel-general, Rafil Nugumanov, the deputy chairman of the Tatarstan State Council Committee on the Rule of Law and Order and the Major-General of the Police, and others took part in the event.

Before the start of the festive parade, a large-scale exhibition of military and special machinery and modern military weapons was organized on the Millennium Square. Anyone could look at the samples of equipment and also sit inside such armored vehicles as “Tiger”, “Ural”, UAZ, and climb into the BTR-80 or the helicopter cabin. Employees stood near each exhibit, ready to tell the guests the tactical and technical properties of the machines.

A. Khokhorin addressed with congratulations to the employees of the Kazan garrison first. He summed up the work done over the past ten years, noting the effectiveness and coherence of the Kazan police department. According to him, the number of crimes committed in the capital of the RT has almost halved, while their solving has increased by almost 10%.

The minister noted that these years were very difficult. “They gathered the main turning points: the collapse of the Soviet Union, the subsequent chaos in the country's economy, the rampant crime, the emergence of a new, strong Russian state, and a radical reform of all branches of power. At the same time, the Kazan garrison did not give crime the slightest opportunity to take the city under its control in any even the most difficult times. Of course, the great amount of work was done by you, we thank you for this!”, said A. Khokhorin.

Ilsur Metshin noted that the Kazan Internal Affairs Directorate has been in the forefront of the republic's law enforcement system for four decades. “Today you have a huge responsibility on you, you are defending the city, monitor the observance of the every resident and guest rights. The Kazan garrison coped well with the tasks of ensuring law and order in the days of major international events, cultural and religious forums, sports competitions such as the Universiade-2013, the FINA World Cup, and the Confederations Cup”, said the Mayor.

The head of Kazan also added that the great merit in the Kazan getting the status of a cultural and sports center, one of the capitals of international tourism is by the law enforcement officers. “All events are always held at a high level due to your professionalism. I want to thank you on behalf of all the people of the city and personally myself for the work, thanks to which we can be sure for the safety of our loved ones”, said I. Metshin and wished happiness, good health, and prosperity to the law enforcement officers.

After the end of the official part, motorcyclists arranged a bike show for the guests of the event. At the same time, the paratroopers went down from the sky to the square near the Kazan Kremlin and colored the gloomy clouds with tricolors of Russia and Tatarstan. Also, singers and dancers performed for law enforcement officers.

The final chord of the program was a salute and a festive parade. More than 600 people of the personnel of the Kazan Internal Affairs Directorate and the National Guard troops marched along the improvised parade ground. Employees of the Traffic Police, an operational response battalion, military units of internal troops, extra-departmental security, cynological service, and cavalry were among them. White cars of the road patrol service closed the procession.

By the Order of Salikh Yapeev, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the TASSR, the Kazan Internal Affairs Directorate was established on July 12, 1977. For today, the strength of the Kazan garrison police is about 5 thousand people.