President Putin Cracks Down on "Werewolf" Policemen

Werewolf policemen are the phenomenon that is typical not only of Moscow

Russia President Vladimir Putin released Ingushetia Interior Minister Colonel Akhmet Pogorov from duty; according to the same presidential decree, Head of the Rostov Regional Central Police Department Major-General Vitaly Shevchenko was also dismissed. Alexey Belozerov, former head of the Orenburg Regional Police Department has been appointed head of the Rostov Regional Central Police Department. This information was provided by the RF Presidential press-service.

No details are being reported concerning appointment of a new interior minister for Ingushetia. There is no information about the reasons why the high-ranking police officials have been dismissed.

Ingushetia Interior Minister Akhmet Pogorov received the position during the presidential elections in the republic. Former Interior Minister Khamzat Gutseriyev left for a vacation to participate in the presidential elections, but did not return to the position after the elections. The new Ingushetia President Murat Zyazikov decided not to make any fuss about Gutseriyevs' clan who together with ex-president Ruslan Aushev turned the republic into their own private realm. Akhmet Pogorov roused no censure while staying on in the post. May be this police official was still considered to be uninterested in the investigation concerning an attack on the Ingushetia minister of justice.

The head of the Rostov Regional Central Police Department fell victim of cleansing among police officials. Werewolf policemen are the phenomenon that is typical not only of Moscow, but even other parts of Russia. In April, the head of the Rostov Regional Central Police Department was the focus of mass media attention. Izvestia and Novaya Gazeta have blamed Vitaly Shevchenko for allowing the city of Volgodonsk to turn into a place where acts of terrorism were committed. 

According to Izvestia, some time ago unprecedented facts have come to light. It has turned out that Head of the Rostov Regional Central Police Department Vitaly Shevchenko forced his subordinates to falsify a criminal case concerning his son who hit a woman with a baby with his car. The Interior Ministry reports it is too early to say what decisions may be taken as a result of the outrageous facts. Sources close to the Izvestia newspaper said it was not ruled out that in the next days General Shevchenko would lose his post. They were right.

An article in Izvestia claimed that at the end of 2002, over 60 Volgodonsk enterprises of  were attacked by criminal groups. The men racketeered private and state-run companies and forced top managers to pay from $300 to $1,000 per month depending upon the volume of the business. Volgodonsk law enforcement authorities were at a loss; they were surprised with the coordination and organization of the criminal groups. 

It is hardly likely that such an outrageous criminal situation only exists in Volgodonsk. Chairman of the Volgodonsk City Duma Leonid Petrashis claims the situation of this kind could have been typical 10 years ago when the regime was called "bandit capitalism" and there were no normal rules of play.

The businessmen who suffered from the attacks appealed to the Russian president for protection. They were indignant at the conditions of raging banditism under which they had to run their businesses. They asked the president to defend their constitutional rights for life and work according to Russian legislation and to fight criminals.

The letter addressed to the Russian president had a response. A commission of the Interior Ministry was immediately sent to the city of Rostov. Additionally, the first deputy prosecutor of the Rostov region accompanied by 60 police officials arrived in Volgodonsk as well. The police started raids in the city. During four days, police conducted raids at gymnasiums, saunas and markets. Head of the Volgodonsk Police Department Valentina Tokareva said the operation was a success; five men were detained during the operation.

An Izvestia journalist met with General Shevchenko; the latter categorically refused to admit his connection to criminals. He said that rumors of that kind were spread by people wishing to avoid responsibility. "We are still working on and investigating appeals that police receive. Over ten racketeers have been detained in the framework of the operation; they are mostly young people. The investigation will make clear later if all of these people belong to one criminal group. In general, many of worst crimes have been solved."
 
The general added that it is the Federal Security Service, not the mass media that is to deal with the charges brought against him. Vitaly Shevchenko claims that no changes have been made against him.