Russian police have established monetary rewards of up to 10 million rubles ($150,000) for outside help in catching criminals and solving crimes.
Financial incentives for public assistance in solving crimes have been rare and unregulated until now, while informants were compensated with gifts and certificates, the Kommersant business daily reported this week.
Russia’s Justice Ministry has approved an Interior Ministry plan setting rewards ranging from 50,000 rubles ($700) to 10 million rubles for individuals who help police in solving crimes.
Regional heads of police will be authorized to compensate informants up to 500,000 rubles, while the deputy interior minister can dispense no more than 3 million rubles.
Sums of up to 10 million rubles are subject to Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev’s sign-off and cover crimes including terrorist attacks or industrial sabotage.
Although the rewards scheme is strictly regulated, officers could theoretically appropriate the money themselves after solving the crime where a reward has been announced, Kommersant cites senior Moscow police union member Mikhail Pashkin as saying.
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