The history of the police with interactive elements was presented at the Internal Affairs Directorate Museum in Vitebsk

The collection of exhibits for the museum began in 1981 by the efforts of employees and veterans, and in 1984 it opened. In 2006-2007 it underwent renovation. "And now, for the centenary, we decided to re-expose the historical and demonstration hall, to expand the museum. I want to express my gratitude to the representatives of the authorities, primarily Governor Nikolai Sherstnev, who helped us financially to realize this dream, to the builders, and to the organizations that put their soul into this museum. Now everyone has a unique opportunity to see the history of the Vitebsk police from the founding of the service in 1917 to the present day. We invite everyone to appreciate the work done," said Viktor Senko, head of the Internal Affairs Directorate, at the opening ceremony. After the red ribbon is cut, guests are accompanied by Inna Abramova, senior curator of the funds of the center for cultural and educational work of the Internal Affairs Directorate.

In the hall of the history of the provincial police, the guide asks not to be surprised that the story begins in 1802. This is the time when popular militias began to appear, where the origins of the very term "militia" are located. The main functions of maintaining public order in the Vitebsk province were performed by the police. How they looked can be seen in photocopies of postcards depicting employees on the streets of Vitebsk.

Inna Abramova also stops at the portraits of personalities who played an important role in the formation of the police in the Vitebsk province. These include Grigory Petrovsky, People's Commissar for Internal Affairs of the RSFSR, Sergey

Kabanov, who established the criminal investigation department in Vitebsk. "He had a difficult time: large cities, as well as small settlements, were overwhelmed by a wave of banditry, and the number of armed criminal gangs and robbery groups was growing. And there was a catastrophic shortage of professional staff in the criminal investigation department, because former police officers were forbidden to be hired by the police, even if they were not involved in political investigation. We had to recruit Red Army soldiers and workers, and train them in everything. Nevertheless, by 1924, the crime wave subsided," says Inna Abramova.

A special place in the exhibition is occupied by the collection of uniform clothing. And the very first (chronologically) item is a reconstruction of the appearance of a criminal investigation officer in the first quarter of the 20th century. "Until 1922, the police did not have uniforms, as it was not initially conceived as a military structure. Gradually, it was introduced. Otherwise, how else can you bring order to a crowd of men? Only by adopting regulations and uniforms!" - the museum's fund keeper remarks half-jokingly. - "However, from 1919, women also began to be hired."

The second hall displays exhibits from the Soviet era, starting from 1924. A corner with an installation of a police officer's workplace in the 1930s immediately catches the eye, and especially a genuine greatcoat from that time, insulated with wadding.

In general, the uniform collection has significantly expanded and impresses with its variety: the uniform of the head of the criminal investigation department of 1947, as well as a шашка (a type of sabre), a rubberized coat from the 1970s, and a dress greatcoat presented by the former head of the Department of Internal Affairs, Alexey Kleschenok. Young excursion participants are allowed to try on the peaked cap that comes with the uniform. "I remember one boy put it on and said that if he ever had to return to the museum, it would only be as a general," Inna Abramova laughs.

By the way, Alexey Kleschenok himself, who with

From 1985 to 1995, he rose from Deputy Head to Head of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. He admits that, as an operative worker, he is particularly drawn to the weapon collection in the exhibition. "Now everything is more modern – uniforms, weapons, and communication equipment. But you should never forget how we got here. I still remember when I started working at the district police department in Minsk, and we only had one car – a UAZ with a wooden body. The head of the department drove it, employees went on assignments in it, and criminals were transported in it. Now, one district department has 10 cars. Times have changed, we live better now," reflects the law enforcement veteran.

A large section in the second hall is dedicated to the Great Patriotic War period – the exploits of the fighters of the Vitebsk fighter battalion, and police officers who, in the ranks of the Red Army, underground, and partisan formations, continued the fight against the occupiers. There are unique photographs from the period of the liberation of Vitebsk, which show how, as early as 1944, the police not only fought against the rise in crime in the destroyed city but also gathered surviving orphaned children in a reception and distribution center.

Photos of those who died in peacetime and were posthumously awarded the Order of the Red Star are displayed on a memorial stand. The consolidated detachments of law enforcement officers from the Vitebsk region who participated in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident are also remembered here.

Among the exclusive exhibits in this hall is the Challenge Red Banner of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the BSSR, which was handed over to the staff of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee for safekeeping in 1981. The updated exhibition has expanded the collection of awards and medals.

There are exhibits dedicated to high-profile criminal cases. A corner with equipment used by forensic experts, old

cameras and photographic equipment, and will be of particular interest to children.

The third hall turns visitors to modern times. Here, in photographs, we see familiar police routines: the service of various departments is captured (female traffic controllers, work during the "Slavyansky Bazaar" festival, even bicycle patrols – an experiment that was short-lived), and the portraits are not of veterans, but of current officers awarded government honors. Modern traffic police and OMON (Special Purpose Mobile Unit) uniforms are displayed on mannequins.

There was barely enough space for part of the collection of law enforcement headwear from various countries donated from Minsk: Italy, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Japan, Thailand, and others. "Perhaps the most interesting exhibits in the new display are the teletype machine (an electromechanical printing machine for transmitting text messages between two subscribers over a simple electrical channel) and the recreated duty room as it looked in the 1970s-1980s. We will allow the most attentive young visitors to feel like they are on duty," notes Inna Abramova, adding that there are already initial group requests for tours – from Gymnasium No. 1 and Vitebsk State University named after P. Masherov. "Well done! Without the past, there is no present, and certainly no future!" – this is the first entry in the Book of Honored Guests left by a distinguished guest of the celebration, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Viktor Dubovets. He admits that he began his service in the Vitebsk region, so the re-exposition work, the contribution of veterans to preserving memory, and the education of the younger generation hold special significance for him.

The museum also includes a memorial sign in honor of police officers who died in the line of duty. It was erected in 2005 opposite the administration building and has also been updated for the anniversary: the monument is now framed by granite slabs-tablets on which 125 surnames are immortalized. The events do not end there: in front of the building

The Internal Affairs Directorate awaits participants and guests of the celebrations with an exhibition of vehicles, including vintage cars, and a grand concert at the "Vitebsk" concert hall. And this is just the beginning of a whole kaleidoscope of events and projects that will mark the jubilee year – the 100th anniversary of the Belarusian police. 

Ekaterina KNYAZEVA. Photos by Alexander KHITROV, BELTA.