Honored Worker of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Letter to the badge "Honored Worker of the NKVD" in the name of P. M. Fitin , 1942

For the first time, special awards intended for law enforcement officers appeared in Russia during the reign of Emperor Nicholas II (1894-1917). On April 24, 1903, at the request of the Minister of the Interior, a sign was approved in honor of the 200th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg : a gilded version of the sign was intended for the police and class ranks of the city’s city government, and silver for the near-guard overseers and lower ranks ^[1] . On August 16, 1913, a sign was established in memory of the 200th anniversary of Kronstadt , which awarded class and non-class officials of the city police ^[2] .

According to the researcher, Ph.D. in Law M. A. Rogov, a significant part of departmental awards for law enforcement officials appeared in the Soviet period, and their creation was associated with the first anniversaries of departments such as the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage under the SNK of the RSFSR (VChK), the State Political Administration under the NKVD of the RSFSR (GPU) and the People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs of the USSR (NKVD). The first such distinctive mark was the award badge issued by the Commissariat of Internal Affairs of the Northern Region on the first anniversary of the October Revolution. “The best-known delivery of tokens to distinguished members of the regiment for the protection of Petrograd” ^[3] .

In 1932, the signs “Honorary Worker of the Cheka - GPU” and “Honorary Worker of the Workers 'and Peasants' Police ” were established, the creation of which was dedicated to the anniversaries of the departments. In 1934, the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs was formed; in 1940, the existing awards were replaced by the sign “ Honored Worker of the NKVD ” ^[4] . In subsequent years, the department repeatedly changed its name, which was reflected in the sign, however, its form was practically unchanged, only the abbreviations placed on it changed: the NKVD (1940–1946), the Ministry of Internal Affairs (1946–1949), and the MGB (1949–1953) ), The Ministry of Internal Affairs (1953-1962), MOOP (1962-1968), the Ministry of Internal Affairs (1968-1991) ^[5] . There were also anniversary versions of the award, issued, in particular, for the 50th and 70th anniversaries of the power structure ^[5] .

At the end of 1947 the name of the sign “Honored Worker of the NKVD” changed. Now it was a sign “Honored Worker of the Ministry of Internal Affairs”, and the abbreviation “ NKVD ” was replaced with “ MIA ”. It so happened that he ceased to be an award for the Chekists and remained a departmental honorary sign in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. For state security workers, a new badge of honor was introduced only in 1957, and until that time, MGB – KGB officers were encouraged with cash prizes, gifts, and personalized weapons of honor. In the 60s, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was temporarily transformed into a MOOP , during this period the sign “Honored Worker of the MOOP” was issued, then after the reverse conversion to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the sign “Honored Worker of the Ministry of Internal Affairs” began to appear again, with the numbering on the entire series of signs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs-MOOP-MVD was one.

The badge was an oval shield of red enamel with a silver sword and a golden hilt imposed on it. Gilded sickle and hammer are superimposed on the sword in the center of the sign. In the lower part of the sign along the golden color of the rim of the shield is a red enamel ribbon with an inscription in the central part of the "Ministry of Internal Affairs".

Russia

Ministry of the Interior

A special badge for rewarding law enforcement officials, similar to those that existed in the Soviet period, appeared in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation only in 1998. By order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia of November 7, 1998 No. 722, the badge "Honorary Officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs" was established, which became the highest mark of distinction of the department ^{[6] [7]} . The new departmental award retained similarities with its Soviet predecessors, writes M. A. Rogov ^[5] .

Federal Service for National Guard Troops

On April 5, 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the creation on the basis of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia of the Russian National Guard troops , which are part of the structure of the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation . By order of the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation - Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation dated February 14, 2017 No. 50 “On departmental awards of the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation”, the rank and badge “Honorary Officer of the Russian Guard” ^{[8] [9 ]} were established ^] .

The title “Honorary Employee of the Russian Guard” is conferred on distinguished military personnel, employees, federal state civil servants and employees of the national guard forces of the Russian Federation, previously awarded departmental awards of the structure and having the military service experience or experience of state civil service of at least 15 years ^[8] .

Subjects of the Federation

The general trend of democratization of all aspects of society in the 1990s, as well as the so-called “ parade of sovereignty, ” notes A. Rogov, caused the appearance of the sign “Honorary Officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan” ^[10] . Similar honorary signs subsequently appeared in a number of other subjects of the Russian Federation ^[11] .

Belarus

The badge "Honorary Officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs" exists in the departmental system of awards of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus . It was established on April 8, 2003 by presidential decree No. 147 “On the establishment of badges of the Ministry of the Interior“ Honorary Officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs ”and“ Excellence in Police ””. They are awarded to individuals of the rank and file of the internal affairs bodies, military personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs internal troops for exemplary performance of official duties, having a length of service of 15 years or more. The award can also be received by other citizens of the country, foreign citizens and stateless persons who provide effective assistance to the internal affairs bodies in solving the tasks assigned to them, and actively contribute to the development and strengthening of ties between law enforcement bodies ^[12] .

• Kutsenko A.N., Rudichenko A.I. Insignia of the USSR law enforcement agencies / Edited by A. A. Bichukov. - Donetsk: Interhobbitekhnika, 1991 .-- 152 p.
• Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Encyclopedia / Edited by V.F. Nekrasov. - M .: Publishing House "OLMA-PRESS", 2002. - 623 p. - ISBN 5-224-03722-0 .
• Rogov M. A. History of awards and badges of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (1802-2002). - M .: Interpress, 2004. - 543 p. - ISBN 1-932525-24-6 .