Ornatskaya T.A. Personnel Policy within Law Enforcement Agencies (case study: Soviet Police in the Far East, 1920s–1930s)

Abstract: This article tackles political conditions for the development of Soviet police in 1917–1939. The author defines several steps of creation of the law enforcement system, discovers the specific characteristics of its development in the Far East. The author pays attention to the fact that recruitments in the 1920s proceeded exclusively by the principle of political expediency. Police as a part of state apparatus reflected the class basis of the society. Сhanges in economic policy of the country led to transferring of police administrations to local funds, staff reduction and shutdowns of special education institutions. Police forces had to face the problem of professional dismissals and hiring of large amounts of employees whose moral and professional qualities were not suitable for work in law enforcement. The study of wide range of sources, which author obtained in the central and regional archives, allowed her to enrich the historiography of the question of personnel policy management among Far East policemen in the 1920s–1930s. The author argues that the problem of recruitment to Soviet police was relevant during the whole Interwar period. Police reform of the first half of the 1930s did not lead to the improvement of police personnel quality. Conducted in the second half of the 1930s, the systematic work on pay raises, special education institutions network expansion and boosting work satisfaction among police personnel allowed to decrease delinquency among employees.

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