Armenian government unveils bill to double police officers' salaries

The Armenian government seeks to introduce a new mechanism to raise police officers' salaries from 250,000 to 500,000 drams, Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan announced at a cabinet meeting on Thursday, highlighting a shift toward merit-based hiring.

The proposed bill removes the upper age limit of 35 for police applicants, focusing instead on their physical fitness, education and psychological evaluations.

Additionally, the bill addresses police staffing shortages in communities, where around 700 vacancies remain. Following the model of the Criminal Police, both civilians and current officers can undergo training at the Police Academy, with successful graduates to be certified and eligible for a higher pay.

Sargsyan clarified that this is a one-time adjustment with future recruitment to be carried out through a patrol-based system.