Ministry of Home Affairs Website

Historical Background/About the Department

1. BACK GROUND

Vide Government Notice No. 1 of January, 2006; the President of the 4th Phase Government issued a Notice on assignment of Ministerial responsibilities and functions. By this Notice the first Cabinet in the Fourth Phase Government was formed and thus, the Ministry of Public Safety and Security was created as a result of that Notice. The Department of Police Force and the Department of Public Safety and Security Monitoring were the only two core departments of the Ministry.

The Department of Public Safety and Security Monitoring headed by a Director was formed for the following functions:-

1. To Monitor the performance of Public Safety and Security organs including the Police Force, Auxiliary Police, Private Security Companies, Peoples Militia and Private Investigation Companies. 2. To conduct inspection on public complaints 3. To coordinate Community policing matters 4. In collaboration with respective institutions, to conduct research and formulate crime prevention strategy at national and local government levels. 5. To manage contacts of the Ministry with International Agencies dealing with policies on public safety and security issues.

After the President dissolved the Cabinet following the resignation of the then Prime Minister Hon. Edward Lowassa in February 2008, the new Cabinet was announced, and the Ministry of Public Safety and Security was merged with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Departments of Police Force and Public Safety and Security Monitoring became under the Ministry of Home Affairs. On 4th July 2008, the President approved the Organisation Structure of the Ministry of Home Affairs. In the new structure of the Ministry the name of Department of Public Safety and Security Monitoring changed, and now it is known as Complaints Division. The Division is led by a Director and has two sections, namely, Complaints Section and Legal and Research Section. Both sections will be led by Principal Legal Officers.

2. VISION

To be an efficient and effective machinery of timely justice in handling complaints against the respective institutions within the Ministry of Home Affairs.

3. MISSION

To minimize complaints arising within the Institutions under the Ministry of Home Affairs.