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A Quarter Century of Professional Mastery: Top DPS Employees Gather in Mogilev Region
Ksenia Vorobyova Roman Rutsky 08.09.2026
In the Mogilev region, on September 8, the 25th Republican professional skills competition for employees of the road patrol service of the State Traffic Inspectorate was solemnly opened. The anniversary competitions started at a landmark place for internal affairs bodies — near the memorial complex "Police Battalion under the command of K.G. Vladimirov" in the village of Gai, Mogilev district.
Before the start of the ceremony, participants and honored guests laid flowers at the memorial, paying tribute to the police officers who fought here during the Great Patriotic War.
The ceremony was attended by the head of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee, Police Major General Igor Shcherbenya, the head of the Main Directorate of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Viktor Rotchenkov, management and employees of the State Traffic Inspectorate, service veterans, competition participants and honored guests. This year, the competition's geography has expanded beyond Belarus: along with teams from the country's regions and the DPS special unit "Strela", representatives of the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan are demonstrating their professional skills.
Welcoming the participants, Igor Shcherbenya emphasized that behind every element of the competition program are skills that DPS officers apply daily in their service. Road safety, accident prevention and, most importantly, human lives directly depend on the competence of their actions, composure and professionalism. The competition, in his words, has long become not only a way to identify the best, but also a platform for exchanging practical experience among officers.
"There are four days of intense competition ahead, where you will have to demonstrate your professionalism, skills and training. I am confident that the judging panel will provide the most objective and impartial assessment of each stage," Igor Shcherbenya addressed the contestants.
The head of the Main Directorate of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Viktor Rotchenkov, noted the special significance of the current competition. The professional competitions have been held for a quarter of a century, and the current competition coincides with the 90th anniversary of the formation of the State Traffic Inspectorate.
He thanked the veterans who were at the origins of the service and emphasized that over the years the competition has made it possible to improve the training of officers and practice the skills needed in real road conditions.
“For a quarter of a century now we have been holding this review-competition, and year after year we improve our professional skills. It is doubly gratifying that it takes place in the year of the 90th anniversary of the formation of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Republic of Belarus,” noted Viktor Rotchenkov.
According to the head of the State Traffic Inspectorate, the requirements for a modern road patrol officer are much broader than the ability to work directly on the road. An inspector must have a high level of physical fitness, know the legislation perfectly, and be ready to act quickly in a wide variety of situations — from communicating with an ordinary driver to detaining an offender.
— “Employees of the State Traffic Inspectorate must possess a high level of professionalism, athletic training, knowledge of regulatory legal acts, and all that layer of skills they encounter daily while on duty,” emphasized Viktor Rotchenkov.
Immediately after the opening, the practical part began for the contestants. The first test was manual traffic control at the intersection of Kosmonavtov and Lazarenko streets in Mogilev. Here, the correctness and clarity of the traffic controller's gestures, the sequence of actions, and the ability to manage traffic flows in a real road environment were assessed.
How difficult this stage can be even for a current traffic police officer was explained by a representative of the Russian team, police lieutenant Alexander Prokin, an inspector of the separate specialized battalion of the traffic police of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Tambov region. He came to Belarus for the first time. At 23 years old, Alexander is the youngest member of the team. In April of this year, he became the winner of the professional skills competition for traffic police officers in the Tambov region.
“The program is generally similar to the Russian competition — the tests and the order in which they are performed largely coincide. For me, the most interesting stages are driving and physical fitness. And the hardest will probably be traffic control. If you don't do it regularly, there is still some nervousness. But I think we will manage,” shared Alexander Prokin.
Meanwhile, the Russian participant has been serving in the unit for about a year. Before that, he studied at the Interior Ministry institute for five years. At a regional competition in Russia, Prokin had already managed to show a strong result, and now he has the opportunity to test himself in an international-level contest.
The Azerbaijani representative is also no newcomer to such competitions — Emil Ibrahimov, police captain, chief inspector of the State Road Police Department of the Main Police Department of Baku. In July 2026, at a professional skills competition in Moscow, he took first place among invited road patrol officers from CIS countries. For him, the current competition is another opportunity to compare the professional approaches of colleagues from different countries.
— “I have already taken part in this contest several times and can say that it develops every year. New officers appear, certain rules change. This year, for example, age categories were introduced. The service is developing — and the contest moves forward along with it,” noted Emil Ibrahimov.
According to him, despite certain national characteristics, the tasks of the road police of Belarus and Azerbaijan are largely similar. And he traditionally regards high-speed maneuvering as one of the most interesting stages.
“The course changes every time and becomes more and more difficult. You need to drive in reverse correctly, make a U-turn, and park. All of this is very important for our daily service as well. That is why high-speed maneuvering is one of the most interesting stages for me,” the participant said.
The competition program spans several days and covers almost all the main areas of professional training for traffic police officers. On September 9, participants will be tested on physical, special, and medical training, knowledge of traffic rules, and hand-to-hand combat techniques.
Some of the most dynamic stages will take place on September 10. At a special site in the Mogilev district, contestants will demonstrate high-speed maneuvering in a car and on a motorcycle. Then the participants will face firearms training at a firing range in the Chausy district and a combined relay race in Chausy.
The results of the 25th Republican contest will be summed up on September 11 in Mogilev. The winners will be determined by the total results of all tests — separately in professional disciplines and in the overall standings.
 
