Interior minister to nominate head of North prefecture for police chief

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Estonia's Interior Minister Ken-Marti Vaher will nominate Elmar Vaher who currently heads the North prefecture of the police for director general of the Police and Border Guard Board.

"I have opted for Elmar Vaher who during eight years with the central criminal police and the North prefecture has shown himself to be a strong leader. I expect the head of the Police and Border Guard Board to be a leader and a team builder, and to focus on results. I believe Elmar Vaher is a top executive whose personal qualities make him a suitable person to steer and streamline the work of the Police and Border Guard Board, the largest public-sector organization," the minister said.

The minister's candidate for the top job has previously held various positions in the police including those of chief of the central criminal police in 2005-2008 and chief of police in northern Estonia since 2008.

The Interior Ministry committee tasked with finding a new director general for the Police and Border Guard Board decided on Feb. 22 to recommend for the post the Justice Ministry's deputy secretary general Priit Kama. However, his candidacy met with strong opposition and the interior minister decided on March 11 not to nominate Kama for the position, citing lack of political support.

The previous head of the Police and Border Guard Board, Raivo Kuut, tendered his resignation in November in the wake of a scandal over speeding fines issued by officers of the East Prefecture based on readings from an uncalibrated speed measuring device and subsequent cover-up of the case.

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