The Police of the Republic of Moldova was established in late 1990’s, after the Government of Moldova adopted the Decision concerning the reform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

After the approval of the Law on Police in December 1990, an extensive process of restructuring, modernization and establishment of internal affairs system began.

The main objectives of the comprehensive reform of the system of internal affairs in the Republic of Moldova was to achieve a professional, efficient, politically neutral police service, which performs its duties in the interest of the citizens and the community, ensuring enforcement of the law, fundamental human rights and freedoms, as well as legal and social protection of police employees.

The Police reform led to processes of structural optimisation, being determined not only by the European integration engagement of the Republic of Moldova and harmonisation with similar structures in the European Union, but also by the need to urgently address the issues in the functioning of the internal affairs system and police activity and improving the quality of services provided to society.

In this regard, the Concept for the Reform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and its subordinate and deconcentrated structure, approved by the Government in December 2010, identified the main problems of the internal affairs system to be addressed and established the objectives of the reform process, as well as the normative acts to be amended.

In this way, the Law on Police activity and status of policeman, adopted on 27 December 2012, into force since 5 March 2013, established the institution of the Police as a distinct entity, under the central coordination of the General Police Inspectorate, empowered to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people by maintaining, ensuring and restoring public order and security, preventing, investigating and detecting crimes and offences, having jurisdiction over the entire territory of the Republic of Moldova.

Currently, the General Police Inspectorate has the mandate to coordinate and organize activities aimed at implementing measures to maintain public order and security, in order to increase the safety of citizens, to make the process of preventing and combating crime more effective, to identify and counteract attacks on life, liberty, health and integrity of people, private and public property and other legitimate interests of the community.