Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 15 July, during a session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, a draft law was approved in the first reading that envisages the expansion of powers for patrol-post service officers and prevention inspectors.

The draft was developed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan to strengthen the protection of citizens' rights and freedoms and to reinforce law and order.

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Bekmurod Abdullaev noted that in 2022, a new system of mahalla law enforcement points was introduced in the country, uniting the efforts of law enforcement agencies and the public. This model has already proven effective, contributing to a reduction in crime rates in areas with tense criminal situations.

As part of ongoing reforms, five mahallas are being grouped into micro-districts, where rapid response teams are created, and senior and junior prevention inspectors are appointed to maintain order locally. These measures are already being implemented in several regional and district centers, including those with high crime levels.

Abdullaev drew parliamentarians’ attention to a current problem — excessive workload on a limited number of officials authorized to review administrative protocols issued by patrol officers. In the first half of 2025 alone, patrol officers processed over 455,000 protocols, compared to more than half a million in 2024. Meanwhile, only heads and deputies of internal affairs departments have the authority to decide on these cases, causing delays and complicating operational efficiency.

A particular concern is that patrol officers, despite recording offenses in the metro, streets, and railway facilities, currently do not have the authority to issue protocols for such violations. This has led to justified complaints from citizens who have to be detained until authorized officials arrive.

To address these limitations, the draft law proposes:

granting senior and junior prevention inspectors the right to review administrative violation cases and apply enforcement measures;

extending similar powers to heads and deputies of public order protection services, patrol-post service departments, as well as commanders of battalions and squads;

expanding the patrol-post service’s authority to allow officers to compose and review administrative cases under several articles of the Code of Administrative Responsibility, including violations on railways, in the metro, and offenses by pedestrians and users of individual mobility devices.

Specifically, this includes offenses under part 4 of article 113, and articles 114, 115, and 138 of the Code. The latter article covers a wide range of infractions by pedestrians and road users, such as crossing the roadway at an undesignated place, using phones, headphones, and other electronic devices that distract attention.

Bekmurod Abdullaev emphasized that implementing the proposed measures will accelerate decision-making on administrative cases, improve the patrol service’s efficiency, and ensure the inevitability of punishment for violations by legalizing inspectors’ authority within their functional scope.

The deputies unanimously supported the draft law. The next steps include the second and third readings, after which the document will be sent to the Senate for consideration.