Russian detectives conquer the Foggy Albion

Today, nobody is surprised with the raging of criminality that has overwhelmed society. Criminal chronicles hardly excite more curiosity than commercials, and only a bloody murder could make an unfeeling spectator recover from his apathy. Earlier, we were more frightened with criminality’s raging in the West, though it turned out that in this field, we did not remain behind the West. We both have troubles with this question. Therefore, we have something to learn from each other.

A serious necessity for exchanging experience has appeared. And, therefore, several Russian Sherlock Holmes went to conquer the Foggy Albion.

The city of Durham, as an elder brother, received the group of visitors from Russian law-enforcement bodies from the city of Kostroma. The business trip was organized by the Durham-Kostroma society, founded 10 years ago by the two brother regions: Kostroma region and Durham county.

A visit to passport department, joint patrolling of the city, and work in a police station had a purely familiar character, because what the Russian policemen could learn in Durham, they hardly could use in their native city, for Russian rights and freedoms are not similar to British ones.

For example, British policemen do not carry guns, only so-called neutralization means (gas sprayers, electroshock, and communication facilities). If a serious danger appears, a special group is called that can use firearms. In police stations, there are special wards for drunken persons, with very low beds to secure the drunken from falls. Especially interesting for the Russians was their work in the National Preparation Center of Investigation’s Scientific Support, where specialists in crime detection from all European countries take a course of advanced training.

Here, the scientific 21st century coincides with the calendar one. Molecular biology is one of the most powerful scientific directions used in the centre. Today, as 30-50 years ago, DNA is an active helper in investigation.

“They stake on technology and scientific process, which is good. However, our specialists in crime solving can do practically the same using their analytical experience,” – colonel Alexandr Zhavoronkov from Kostroma stated. Our detectives also have something to show to their colleagues. “We were gladly surpised by the interest our colleagues from the passport department showed in the passport control system used in Russia. Their department is not so closely connected with the police as it is in Russia, while we, in our passport department, often help the law-enforcement bodies in their investigation,” – Major of Russian Internal Affairs Ministry Rimma Titova said. The professionals of both countries are certain that they should more deeply and openly cooperate with each other, which was proving by the September 11 events in the US. Svetlana Taranova, Dmitry Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2001/12/05/34574.html