Law Enforcement in the Russian Federation

Law enforcement in the Russian Federation is the responsibility of many different agencies. The main law enforcement agencies are the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, district courts, the Ministry of the Interior, the Federal Customs Service, the Federal Security Service,the Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief, the Federal Migration Service, the Federal Guard Service, the Federal Drug Control Service, the Investigative Committee, the Federal Border Guard Service as well as the Office of the Prosecutor General and the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. Let’s look at some of them in detail.

1. The Ministry of the Interior is a federal executive body. It is responsible for the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms, keeping public order, road safety etc. The Ministry of the Interior also controls investigating crimes and administrative offences etc. The Russian police are the primary law enforcement agency within the Ministry of the Interior.

The Ministry of Justice is a federal executive body which is responsible for the legal system of Russia, the bar and notary system, registration of non-profit organisations etc. The Federal Penal Service is subject to the Ministry of Justice. It is responsible for punishment of convicts, guarding, escorting them etc. The Federal Penal Service is also responsible for supervision of persons on probation, serving a suspended sentence, kept under house arrest.

2. The Prosecutor General of Russia heads the system of official prosecution in courts known as the Office of the Prosecutor General. The Prosecutor General is the most powerful component of the Russian judicial system. The Office of the Prosecutor General is responsible for prosecution in court on behalf of the State, supervision of the observance of laws by bodies that conduct detective and search activity.

The Investigative Committee of Russia is an investigative body, sometimes described as the “Russian FBI”.

3. The Federal Security Service is the domestic security service. It is responsible for anti-terrorism operations, information security, detection of crimes, combating organized criminality, corruption, smuggling, illegal migration, trafficking in weapons etc.

The Federal Guard Service provides for the personal protection of the President, members of his family and other leading government figures, sees to the proper operation of the President’s communication channels etc. The Federal Guard Service also comprises the Presidential security service, the Presidential regiment, which is responsible for guarding the Kremlin, the Presidential residence and other top-secret facilities.

The Federal Border Guard Service is responsible for border protection and coast guard.

4. The Federal Migration Service is the federal executive body that implements the state policy on migration. The Federal Migration Service is responsible for issue of passports, resident registration, immigration control etc.

The Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief also known as the Ministry of Emergency Situations is responsible for managing the сivil defence, search and rescue service, eliminating the consequences of catastrophes and other emergencies, organizing the training of the population for disaster management etc.

The Federal Service for Drug Control of the Russian Federation is a federal executive body responsible for drafting state policy, legal regulation, control and monitoring in the sphere of combating trafficking drugs.

The Federal Customs Service is a federal executive body responsible for regulating customs. The service acts as a control agent and has special functions in fighting illegal traffic, crimes, and administrative offences.

Exercise 3. Mingle and make up new groups. In each group add a student who has read one part of the text “Law enforcement in the Russian Federation” (1, 2, 3, 4). Share the information on law-enforcement agencies inside your group, name functions and missions of each law enforcement agency.

Exercise 4. Match law enforcement agencies and their functions.

1) The Ministry of the Interior	is responsible for	a) issue of passports, resident registration, immigration control
2) The Federal Customs Service	b) border protection and coast guard
3) The Federal Migration Service	c) combating trafficking drugs
4) The Federal Border Guard Service	d) prosecution in court
5) The Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief	e) investigating crimes
6) The Office of the Prosecutor General	f) the legal system of Russia, the bar and notary system
7) The Federal Service for Drug Control	g) keeping public order
8) The Federal Guard Service	h) managing the civil defence, search and rescue service
9) The Investigative Committee	i) anti-terrorism operations, combating organized criminality
10) The Ministry of Justice	j) the personal protection of the President
11) The Federal Penal Service	k) regulating customs
12) The Federal Security Service	l) punishment of convicts

SPEAKING