Nature
The Information and Public Relations Departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus celebrate their 40th anniversary.
The head of the information and public relations department of the regional executive committee's internal affairs department, police lieutenant colonel Nadezhda Denisyuk, told a "VV" correspondent about the history of the creation of the press service of the Vitebsk regional executive committee's internal affairs department, its successes and achievements, and the activities of today's journalists in uniform.
– In 1983, press structures were formed under the political departments and political divisions of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, and a press bureau was also created, the first head of which was the former employee of Central Television Leonid Bulgakov, – noted Nadezhda Denisyuk. – In Belarus, the first press division appeared a little later. On September 19, 1984, press groups were formed in the Ministry of Internal Affairs-UVD of the BSSR, and this day was considered the date of the creation of the press center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.
– How did the formation of the press service of the Internal Affairs Directorate take place directly in the Vitebsk region?
– In 1988, Inspector Liliya Misuno , a member of the Union of Journalists, a graduate of the Philological Faculty of the Belarusian State University and the Minsk Party School, who had experience working in the editorial offices of the newspapers Astravetskaya Pravda and Vitsebski Rabochy, was appointed to the position of instructor of the press group of the Internal Affairs Directorate.
Under her leadership, printed media began to regularly publish materials reflecting the activities of the internal affairs agencies, publications about the work of the police became more lively and open. And on August 4, 1989, the first issue of the newspaper "02. Gazeta Vitsebskaja militsii" was published, which is still published today.
In 1995, the position of the head of the press center of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Internal Affairs Directorate was introduced, to which Pavel Denisenko was appointed . Under him, the press center began to cooperate more actively with police units, working contacts with journalists and creative associations were strengthened, which helped in preparing stories for regional TV. Also, thanks to the efforts of Pavel Denisenko, the popular science publication "Vitebsk Militia" was published, and for three years the press center of the Regional Executive Committee Internal Affairs Directorate was one of the best in the republic.
It is impossible not to mention other managers - Anatoly Tikhon , Andrey Semenikhin and Olga Shkuratova . Each of them made a huge contribution to the development of our press service.
– What tasks does the unit entrusted to you face today?
- First of all, this is coverage and popularization of the police activities, informing residents of the region through the media about the measures taken to combat crime and maintain law and order. Also, our main responsibilities include information support for the media, consulting journalists working on legal topics, assisting them in preparing materials, coordinating and monitoring the activities of freelance correspondent points of district police departments. We maintain relations with the public, creative unions, religious denominations, figures of science, culture and art with the aim of influencing the formation of legal awareness of our citizens and the prevention of offenses.
The departmental campaign of the Ministry of Internal Affairs “For Safety – Together!” is held annually at the sites of the International Festival of Arts “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk”, during which the employees of the press center cover the work of thematic locations non-stop and do everything possible so that citizens and guests of the city on the Dvina get the best possible idea of the activities of the police.
– What skills, in your opinion, should employees of the information and public relations department have?
- This is the ability to write articles, appear on radio and television, search for new forms of presenting information. We run the official page of the Regional Executive Committee's Internal Affairs Directorate (on the website of the internal affairs agencies of Belarus), where information is updated several times a day. We actively work in social networks. Every day, with the direct participation of the information and public relations department, dozens of different-genre materials about the activities of law enforcement officers in the Vitebsk region appear, and this largely shapes public opinion about the work of the regional police.
In 2023-2024, the creative works of the press center representatives became prize winners and winners in various nominations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs competition “Objectively and Professionally”, as well as the media competition under the auspices of the Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs of the CIS member states.
