Rajevskis: alcohol test is not a magic wand — police drunk incidents require solving root causes
After two high-profile cases of State Police officers under the influence of alcohol within a week, political scientist Filips Rajevskis says tests alone will not help; stricter controls and addressing causes are needed.
Within a week, two serious cases involving State Police officers and alcohol have come to light in Latvia. First, during public celebrations in Priekule, an officer fatally beat a teacher. Then, on Wednesday, in Aizkraukle Municipality, a police officer under the influence caused a traffic accident and then went into hiding. She was located on her private property, where a breath test showed 3.18 parts per mille of alcohol.
A criminal process and an internal service inspection have been launched over the Aizkraukle case. After both incidents, Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava called for a service inspection also against State Police chief Armands Ruka.
Political scientist and co-founder of the public relations agency “Mediju tilts” Filips Rajevskis joined the discussion about possible alcohol testing in the police. On TV24’s “Press Club” programme, he said Latvia has a serious problem with alcohol consumption and alcoholism. He stressed that control must be especially strict when people have service weapons available in everyday life, to ensure that intoxicated individuals cannot endanger themselves or others.
Rajevskis emphasised that alcohol tests alone cannot guarantee safety. “An alcohol test is not a magic wand,” he said, explaining that checks can help reduce risks but will not solve deeper social and behavioural problems. In his view, alongside tighter oversight, it is necessary to address the root causes that lead to such tragic situations.
