The upper house of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council, approved a police reform bill on Wednesday aimed at restoring public trust in Russia's police force.
The bill, which was posted for public discussion in early August, was passed by the lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, in its third reading on Friday.
The law is to come into effect from March 1.
The revised law sets tougher requirements for police recruits, who are to undergo selection tests. The police will be freed of redundant functions and undergo staff cuts of 20 percent by January, 2012.
Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev has said the "best of the best" will enter the Russian rejuvenated police force. The law enforcement mission will be the primary mission of the police, with crime prevention a key role, Nurgaliyev said.
Under the new law, police are not entitled to enter houses against people's will, except where required to rescue citizens and their property, detain suspects, prevent crimes and examine crimes or accident scenes.
All detainees will have the right to a lawyer from the moment they are detained, and will be allowed to make one phone call within three hours of the moment of detention.
Lawmaker Viktor Ozerov said public councils will be established to make the police accountable to society.
"The law accomplishes one of the most essential tasks for today, of making police serve the society, not being above it. All the articles of this law are imbued with by this spirit," Ozerov said.
In recent years the police in Russia have been increasingly associated with corruption and brutality. One of the most outrageous incidents was the random shooting of several people in a supermarket by an off-duty police officer in April 2009.
In response to growing criticism, in late 2009 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered a large-scale reform of the police, including cuts in officer numbers and an increase in salaries.
MOSCOW, February 2 (RIA Novosti)
