Voluntary People's Druzhina

Voluntary People's Druzhina ( _ru. Добровольная Народная Дружина, Д НД, Dobrovolnaya Narodnaya Druzhina, DND) variously translated as Voluntary People’s Guard, People’s Volunteer Squads, People's Volunteer Militia, etc. were voluntary detachments for maintaining public order in the Soviet Union similar to the Neighborhood Watch. People's Druzhinas still exist in the modern Russia, although not as a universal establishment of the former USSR. [Peter Finn, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A52581-2004Nov15?language=printer "In Moscow, Volunteers Keeping An Eye on the People Next Door"] , "Washington Post" Foreign Service, November 16, 2004, page A21] [ [http://mgnd.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=43 Moscow City People's Druzhina website] ru icon]

History

People's Druzhinas in support of law enforcement were introduced in Russian Empire in 1913.

After the Russian Revolution of 1917 there were various forms of non-governmental workers and peanants' organizations, which were disbanded by early 1930s. Instead the Voluntary Society for Support of Militsiya (ОСОДМИЛ) was created. In 1932 it was subordinated to militsiya and renamed to "Militsiya Support Brigades". (БРИГАДМИЛ). [http://mgnd.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=4&Itemid=35 History of People's Druzhinas] , which counted over 400,000 personnel. ru icon]

oviet Union

The system of VPDs was introduced according to the joint resolution of the CPSU Central Committee and USSR Council of Ministers of March 2, 1959 "On the Participation of the Workers in the Maintenance of Public Order", which formalized and widely propagated the 1958 Leningrad invention of the Voluntary People's Druzhina formally independent of militsiya. The "druzhinas" were not subordinated to militsiya and the management staff was established from various Soviet organizations: Soviets, trade unions, Komsomol, etc. The patrolling "druzhinas" themselves were often accompanied by police officers ("militsioners"), for general guidance and official support. Although "druzhinas" were informal, they could perform citizen arrests of various petty offenders: drunkards, hooligans, etc. Druzininniks were also used to support "militsiya" in performing non-dangerous arrests and other law enforcement duties. [ [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0038-5859%28195910%2911%3A2%3C214%3AVMAC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W&size=LARGE&origin=JSTOR-enlargePage Voluntary Militia and Courts] , "Soviet Studies", Vol. 11, No. 2 (Oct., 1959), pp. 214-217]

The 1974 USSR Supreme Soviet Presidium Ukase "About the Main Duties and Rights of Voluntary People's Drushina in Guarding the Public Order" governed the "druzhinas" until the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

"Druzhinas" mostly operated in urban neighborhoods. "Druzhinniks" were distinguished by red armbands with the text Д НД on them. While it was called "voluntary", this adjective must be taken "cum grano salis", bearing in mind the political system of the Soviet Union. Like with other numerous "volunteer" Soviet organizations, patrolling in "druzhina" was a regular duty for certain categories of workers and students.

Russia

Attempts to reestablish public law enforcement organizations in Russia started as early as in 1992. Currently there is active Narodnaya Druzhina organization in Moscow.

ee also

*See Druzhina article for etymology and usage of the term.

References