New police chief promises strong police force

Tehran Times:

Iran’s new national police chief, Brigadier General Esmaeil Ahmadi Moghaddam, pledged here on Wednesday to lead a strong and accountable police force.

Speaking at his inauguration ceremony, Ahmadi-Moqaddam said that the police should be equipped with knowledge and modern technology and should possess social skills. READ MORE

Dealing firmly with lawbreakers and those who cause insecurity in public places is the only way to create a peaceful atmosphere for the people, he underlined.
After the ceremony, Ahmadi-Moqaddam told reporters that alleviating traffic congestion in big cities and addressing the high road accident fatality rate are two of his main priorities.

“Annual road casualties are higher than the yearly fatalities during the war,” he said, referring to the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. More than 25,000 Iranians lose their lives in car accidents every year.

The nation will have to pay a great price if this trend continues, he warned.

Responding to a question on his future relations with the press, Ahmadi-Moqaddam noted that the media are a requisite for establishing logical and bilateral ties with the people.

“During my tenure, positive, constructive, and strong ties will be established with the media,” he stressed.

Ahmadi-Moqaddam said he would exercise moderation in his new post, particularly with regard to young people.

“Our society is a young one, and some youth might not be completely familiar with the laws. Under such circumstances, we must deal with them patiently. “The youth are an opportunity not a threat, and we should take advantage of these opportunities.”

The new national police chief promised to lead a modern, professional, efficient, ethical, polite, and patient police force that will respect people’s privacy. “Every citizen should feel secure in their private space. Police will not intervene in the private lives of individuals.”

During the inauguration ceremony, the Armed Forces chief of staff, Major General Hossein Firuzabadi called Ahmadi-Moqaddam an enthusiastic, young, active, and highly educated commander of the Armed Forces. Former police chief Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also addressed the ceremony, saying, “Power and responsibility are tools to serve the people.”

Qalibaf resigned his post to run in the presidential election. He finished fourth among the seven candidates in the first round of the election on June 17.