Interior minister reviews Yerevan police work in first half of 2026

Armenia’s Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan chaired a meeting summarizing the work of Yerevan’s police units in the first half of 2026, the Interior Ministry said.

The meeting reviewed the work of the Yerevan City Department of the Criminal Police, the capital’s Community Police divisions, the Yerevan City Battalion of the Patrol Service and the Yerevan divisions of the Police Guard.

Acting Chief of Police–Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Kamo Tsutsulyan, as well as representatives of the ministry and the Police leadership, were present.

The Head of the Yerevan City Department of the Criminal Police reported that during the reporting period, 1,833 cases of crime were registered by the department, approximately 20.9 percent fewer than during the same period of the previous year. The number of serious and particularly serious crimes decreased. Crimes against persons decreased by 39.3 percent, crimes against property by 23.5 percent, and crimes against economic activity by 41.3 percent. At the same time, crimes against state authority, service, and the established order of administration increased by 81.5 percent. Attempts at murder decreased by 7.7 percent, while crimes committed with the use of firearms decreased by 18.2 percent. Cases of residential burglary and fraud also decreased.

Crimes against public safety, public order, and public health increased, which was mainly due to Patrol Service officers detecting cases of driving vehicles without a driver’s license.

The ministry also reviewed the performance of the capital’s Community Police divisions. Crime figures varied across districts, with cases increasing in several divisions and decreasing in others. Crimes against persons and property generally declined in a number of districts, while cases of domestic violence increased in several areas. The Nubarashen Division registered 128 cases, compared with 50 during the same period of the previous year, while the Erebuni Division recorded 817 cases, 21 percent more than a year earlier. The Kentron Division registered 1,553 cases, 44.4 percent fewer than during the previous year. In Arabkir, 968 cases were registered, of which 605, or 62.5 percent, were cleared. The Malatia Division recorded 501 cases, with a clearance rate of 80.4 percent, compared with 70.3 percent the previous year. The Nor Nork Division registered 610 cases, of which 493, or 80.8 percent, were cleared. In Davtashen, 302 cases were recorded, 227 of which, or 75.2 percent, were cleared. The Metropolitan Division recorded 22 cases, 29 percent fewer than during the previous year, while the Zvartnots Airport Division recorded 92 cases, of which 78, or 84.8 percent, were cleared. No crimes committed by minors were recorded in Kanaker-Zeytun.

Officers of the Yerevan City Battalion of the Patrol Service cleared 1,336 cases of crime, 55 more than during the same period of the previous year. A total of 129,174 reports were drawn up for various administrative offenses. Although road traffic accidents increased in the capital, the number of fatalities and injured persons resulting from them decreased.

During the first half of the year, the Yerevan units of the Police Guard, alongside protecting facilities, maintaining public order, and ensuring public safety, also solved a number of crimes.

Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan thanked the personnel for the work carried out and emphasized that, despite positive trends recorded in a number of types of crime, the results of work in certain areas were not satisfactory.

The Minister issued a strict instruction to intensify work with persons who are in hostile relations with one another, with the aim of preventing further criminal manifestations.

Emphasizing that the number of serious and particularly serious crimes in the capital had decreased, Minister Sargsyan nevertheless expressed concern about crimes committed with the use of firearms. The Minister instructed that, alongside clearance efforts, the causes of such crimes be analyzed and targeted and consistent work be carried out to prevent them.

Arpine Sargsyan emphasized the need to intensify operational and intelligence measures, targeted work, and searches aimed at detecting and seizing illegal weapons and ammunition.

The Minister of Internal Affairs emphasized the need to intensify the fight against the criminal subculture and to strengthen cooperation among the divisions in order to prevent possible consequences.

Addressing crimes against property, the Minister highlighted the trend of decreasing residential burglaries and emphasized the need to ensure continuity of preventive work. At the same time, it was stressed that particular attention must be paid to thefts committed from vehicles.

Instructions were also issued to intensify efforts to prevent and solve fraud, crimes committed using information technologies, crimes against economic activity, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, and certain types of crimes against persons.

Particular attention was also drawn to the morale within the divisions, service discipline, and proper communication with citizens. The heads were instructed to keep these areas under constant supervision.

The decrease in the number of fatalities and injuries resulting from road traffic accidents in Yerevan during the first half of 2026 was assessed positively, and instructions were issued to maintain the positive dynamics.

Minister Arpine Sargsyan emphasized that it is necessary to ensure the active involvement of the Police Guard in efforts to prevent and solve crimes.