Police and Border Guard Board Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet | |
---|---|
Agency overview | |
Formed | January 1, 2010 |
Preceding agencies | |
Jurisdictional structure | |
Operations jurisdiction | Estonia |
General nature | |
Specialist jurisdiction |
|
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Pärnu mnt 139, Tallinn |
59°24′31.67″N24°44′12.91″E / 59.4087972°N 24.7369194°E | |
Elected officer responsible | |
Agency executive |
|
Parent agency | Ministry of the Interior |
Website | |
www |
The Police and Border Guard Board (Estonian : Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet) is a unified national governmental agency within the Estonian Ministry of Interior and is responsible for law enforcement and internal security in the Republic of Estonia.
The main tasks of the agency are to ensure and protect the integrity of the Estonian state and, since May 1, 2004, also the European Union border within the territories of the Republic of Estonia; to secure the state borders and the European Union outer border within the territories of the Republic of Estonia, to monitor and identify citizenship, along with handling the documentation, to preserve law and civil order within the borders of the Republic of Estonia and to detect and prevent crime.
Andrus Ansip's Government Cabinet which was established after the 2005 parliamentary elections, stated in its 2007–2011 coalition programme the need for a unified homeland security agency in order to reduce operating costs and upkeep [1] between the ministry and its organizations. [2] On April 13, 2007, the Ministry of the Interior established a working group in order commence research about possible unification of the Estonian Police and Estonian Border Guard agencies. [3]
The final study presented by the working group proposed to unite three main law enforcement organizations, including the Police, Border Guard, and the Citizenship and Migration Board into a single structure capable of carrying out all the tasks. In October 2007, the Ministry of the Interior created another working group with an operational task to start the unification process. [2] On August 31, 2008, the Cabinet approved the creation of a new government organization within the Ministry of the Interior with the unification of these three agencies. [4]
On May 6, 2009, the Estonian Parliament recognized the agency unification idea with the adoption of the Police and Border Guard Board Law, and changes into other laws regarding the area of competency of the Ministry. In June, the Cabinet appointed Raivo Küüt to be the first director-general of the organization. On January 1, 2010, the Police and Border Guard Board officially started work. [5]
The agency is headed by a director general, who has four deputies. The deputies lead various departments. In addition, prefectures are led by prefects. The Police and Border Guard consists of the Development Department, Border Guard Department, Central Criminal Police, Northern Prefecture, Eastern Prefecture, Southern Prefecture, Western Prefecture, Administration, Internal Affairs Office, and Internal Audit Office. [6] The Border Guard Department also manages the Police and Border Guard Aviation Group and the naval fleet. [7]
The organization has more than 7,000 servicemen, of which 6,000 are in active duty, and another 1,000 in the administrative area. [8]
The head of the Police Board is the Director General of Police (peadirektor). The head of the regional district is the Police Commissioner (prefekt [ broken anchor ]). With the unification of the Police and Border Guard Boards several new service ranks were created which now also includes the ranks of general and an inspector general. [9]
# | Ranks of the Police and Border Guard [10] | Translation [11] | Ranks of Maritime Border Guard [10] | Ranks of Estonian Internal Security Service [12] |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Politseikindral | Police General | - | Politseikindral |
2. | Politseikindralinspektor | Inspector General of Police | - | Politseikindralinspektor |
3. | Politseikolonel | Police Colonel | - | Politseikolonel |
4. | Politseikolonelleitnant | Police Lieutenant Colonel | - | Politseikolonelleitnant |
5. | Politseimajor | Police Major | Politseimajor | Politseimajor |
6. | Politseikapten | Police Captain | Politseikapten | Politseikapten |
7. | Politseileitnant | Police Lieutenant | Politseileitnant | Politseileitnant |
8. | Vanemkommissar | Senior Superintendent | Vanemkommissar | Vanemkommissar |
9. | Kommissar | Superintendent | - | Kommissar |
10. | Ülemkonstaabel/Üleminspektor | Head Constable Head Inspector | Ülemveebel Vanemveebel | Ülemassistent |
11. | Vanemkonstaabel Vaneminspektor | Senior Constable Senior Inspector | Veebel | Vanemassistent |
12. | Konstaabel/Inspektor | Constable Inspector | Vanemmadrus | Assistant |
13. | Nooremkonstaabel | Junior Constable Junior Inspector | - | Nooremassistent |
14. | Politseikadett | Police Cadet [13] | - | Politseikadett |
General officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Police and Border Guard Board [14] [15] | |||||||||
Police general (Politseikindral) | Inspector general of police (Politseikindralinspektor) | Police colonel (Politseikolonel) | Police lieutenant colonel (Politseikolonelleitnant) | Police major (Politseimajor) | Police captain (Politseikapten) | Police lieutenant (Politseileitnant) | Senior superintendent (Vanemkomissar) | Superintendent (Komissar) |
Constables | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Police and Border Guard Board [14] [15] | ||||
Chief constable, chief inspector | Senior constable, senior inspector | Constable, inspector | Junior constable, junior inspector | |
Internal Security Service ranks | Chief assistant (Ülemassistent) | Senior assistant (Vanemassistent) | Assistant (Assistent) | Junior assistant (Nooremassistent) |
The Police and Border Guard Aviation Group operates fixed and rotary-wing aircraft for the Police and Border Guard Board. In total, they operate three helicopters and two airplanes. [18] One of the airplanes is equipped for maritime patrol and pollution detection duties. [19]
In 2023, the naval fleet was merged with the Estonian Navy. As a result, the Police and Border Guard Board only operates small vessels. [20]
The coat of arms of the police is in the shape of a shield. On a blue background is a silver lion standing on its rear legs, holding a small coat of arms withs paws, which represents readiness to protect public order and the interests of the state. The lion was chosen as a symbol because it represents nobility and courage and because it is also represented on the national coat of arms. The silver color symbolizes nobility and masculinity, while the blue color symbolizes peace and stability. The coat of arms was designed based on historical traditions and the design of the Estonian police badge from 1930s. [21]
The insignia of the Estonian Border Guard was designed by Günther Reindorff for the 10th anniversary of the Border Guard in 1932. It depicts a silver eagle holding a sword in front of a border post. The eagle is called the North Eagle, which originates from the national epic Kalevipoeg, and it symbolizes vigilance, courage and readiness to fight. The border post is stylized in diagonally placed national colors and it holds the national coat of arms at the top. The eagle and border post are surrounded by a wreath of silver oak leaves, which symbolizes unity and manliness. There is a silver ribbon with the date of establishment of the Estonian Border Guard on the lower part of insignia. [21]
The main color of the Police and Border Guard flag is blue, which is also one of the colors of the national flag. On the agency board the blue symbolises peace and stability. The main figure on the flag is a white standing lion holding a national small coat of arms with its paws. The lions tongue and claws are red. The flag design is based on the Estonian police coat of arms. The length and width ratio of the festive parade flag is 7:9 and the size of the flag is 105x135 cm. [22]
The flag of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic was officially adopted by the former Soviet Union in 1940. It showed a set of Communist symbols: a yellow hammer and sickle on a red field and, after official change of the flag's design in 1953, also an outlined yellow star, above a band of water waves near the bottom.
The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Sweden is the arms of dominion of the King of Sweden. It has a greater and a lesser version. The shield displays the "Three Crowns of Sweden" quartering the "Lion of Bjelbo", with an inescutcheon overall of the House of Vasa impaling the House of Bernadotte.
The coat of arms of Finland is a crowned lion on a red field, the right foreleg replaced with an armoured human arm brandishing a sword, trampling on a sabre with the hindpaws. The coat of arms was originally created around the year 1580.
The Estonian Internal Security Service is a central national security institution of Republic of Estonia. Its purposes are centered on enforcing constitutional order. The Estonian Internal Security Service has primary investigative jurisdiction in some offences committed by state officials; countering terrorism; incitement to hatred; crimes against humanity and peace, including war crimes; illegal handling and trafficking of firearms, ammunition, explosives, radioactive material or other strategic materials; and the protection of state secrets. It also fills counterintelligence duties.
Raasiku Parish in Harju County is located in the south-eastern direction from the city of Tallinn. The main road leading through the parish is Jüri - Aruküla - Raasiku - Jägala road. The Tallinn - Tapa Railway goes through the northern border of the parish.
The coat of arms of Montenegro was officially adopted by the law passed in the Parliament on 12 July 2004. It is now the central motif of the flag of Montenegro, as well as the coat of arms of the Armed Forces of Montenegro. It was constitutionally sanctioned by the Constitution proclaimed on 2 October 2007.
The coat of arms of Denmark has a lesser and a greater version.
An Estonian passport is an international travel document issued to citizens of Estonia, and may also serve as proof of Estonian citizenship. Besides enabling the bearer to travel internationally and serving as indication of Estonian citizenship, the passport facilitates the process of securing assistance from Estonian consular officials abroad or other European Union member states in case an Estonian consular is absent, if needed. If an Estonian citizen wishes to receive an identity document, especially an Estonian passport, somewhere other than the foreign representation of the Republic of Estonia, then the bearer of the Estonian citizenship staying abroad could receive the travel documents in embassies of any EU country worldwide by paying 50 Euro. Many countries require passport validity of no less than 6 months and one or two blank pages.
The Estonian Police was the law enforcement agency of Estonia. It was subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior. In 2010, the organization was superseded by the Police and Border Guard Board.
The 16th Air Defence Battalion is the Estonian Defence Forces air-defence artillery force which has a supportive military formation role among the Estonian Land Forces. Other units might have an anti-aircraft missile component, but the Air Defence Battalion is a unit dedicated to air-defence and relying on other units for infantry support, especially when defending. The main task of this formation is to provide air-defence protection and light gun support for the infantry brigades operating on the battlefield.
The heraldic ensigns of the Ministry of Internal Affairs consist of the following elements: large blue shield with a crusader golden eagle, having its head turned to the right, red peak and claws, open wings, holding a silver sword in its right claw; the green olive branch, symbolizing peace and order, replacing the mace from the coat of arms of the country; the small shield, placed on the eagle's chest, having five sectors which symbolize the most important structures of the ministry; at the bottom of the external shield, on a white scarf, the motto of the ministry is written in black: Latin: PRO PATRIA ET ORDINE IURIS, meaning "For the country and for the lawful order". The first sector represents the General Inspectorate of Romanian Police, the second sector includes the heraldic ensigns of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, the third sector contains the ensigns of the General Inspectorate of Border Police, the fourth sector represents the General Inspectorate of Romanian Gendarmerie, the fifth sector represents the Administration, and the sixth sector contains the emblem of the National Archives.
The Estonian Border Guard was the national security agency responsible for the border security of Estonia. It was subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior. The Border Guard also assisted with Search and Rescue missions. In 2010, the organization was superseded by the Police and Border Guard Board.
The Police and Border Guard Aviation Group is a mixed helicopter and airplane flight unit formerly operating under the Estonian Border Guard, but now subordinate to the Police and Border Guard Board. The squadron is a rapid response search and rescue unit, which also conducts medical transport and border patrol operations.
Estonian Academy of Security Sciences is a public vocational university in Estonia. It provides professional education for Estonian civil servants under the Estonian Ministry of the Interior. Its objective is to ensure a secure state and stable development, and to contribute to the security of the European Union. It was established on 15 April 1992 and is based in Tallinn. It has facilities in Pärnu County, Väike-Maarja Parish, Narva and Meriküla.
The Headquarters of the Estonian Defence Forces is the working body of the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces and joint staff of the Estonian Defence Forces. Its main tasks include supporting the activities of the Commander and Deputy Commander of the Defence Forces; planning the activities of the Defence Forces; advising, supervising, coordinating and controlling the activities of the Defence Forces units.
The Coat of Arms of the Romanian Border Police consists of the following elements: a large blue shield with a crusader golden eagle, with its head turned to the right, a red peak and claws, open wings, and holding a silver sword in its right claw; the green olive branch, symbolizing peace and order, replacing the mace from the coat of arms of the country. The small green shield, placed on the eagle's chest, has a silver landmark which has in its upper part two crossed golden swords, and in its lower part a black anchor. Two golden lions with red tongues lean on both sides of the landmark. At the bottom of the external shield, on a white scarf, the motto of the ministry is written in black: Latin: PATRIA ET HONOR.
The Estonian Health Board is an Estonian governmental agency in the area of responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs. The agency contributes to health care and ensures health protection, environmental health, chemical safety, and the safety of medical devices in Estonia through preemptive and complaint-based supervision in the aforementioned domains. Additionally, the agency provides chargeable laboratory services to for example determine drinking water quality.
Tartu is an urban municipality of Estonia, in Tartu County. It consists of the city of Tartu, as well as the former Tähtvere Parish bordering the city in the north-west. Prior to the 2017 administrative reform, Tartu held negotiations with all neighbouring parishes, with Tähtvere Parish eventually being the only one to agree to the merge. The municipality is thus separate from the neighbouring Tartu Parish.
Pornography in Estonia is legal, but the distribution and exhibition of works deemed to contain pornography are regulated by law.
EML Kindral Kurvits is a Kurvits-class multi-purpose patrol vessel. Built in 2012 by Uki Workboat.