MORDOVIA MILITIAMEN LOSE ARMS, COMMIT CRIMES, SUICIDES

Many Interior Ministry officers in Russia’ republic of Mordovia cannot bear their working load, statistics publicized by the ministry testifies. In 1999, 4 suicides of the officers were recorded. Starting from early 2000, 463 people have entered the republic’s militia while 280 quitted. Of the latter, 49 have been taken to court for irregularities, many of them drink heavily. The opinion poll conducted by the Mordovian State University in the republic’s capital city Saransk has shown the majority of those polled not to consider themselves protected from crime.