State Police Chief: Officer Shortage Felt Most Acutely in Riga

The shortage of police officers is felt most acutely in Riga, the Latvian capital, State Police chief Armands Ruks said on the TV24 programme “Uz līnijas”. He called on politicians to preserve unfilled staff positions during public administration reforms so that the police can keep recruiting.

Question about safety on the streets

A viewer asked about security in Riga. She said she rarely sees police officers on the streets and doubted whether video surveillance cameras are enough to make residents feel safer. Ruks replied that several factors shape the sense of safety and that people's concerns tend to grow during the dark season of the year. He cited SKDS survey data, according to which about 80% of people feel safe in the area where they live.

The police chief stressed that changes have already been made so that more officers work on the streets and respond to calls. He also noted that some officers travel in cars without police markings, and that criminal police work alongside uniformed colleagues.

Crime figures

According to Ruks, the number of criminal offences in Latvia in the first nine months of 2026 was just under 7% lower than in the same period last year. Property crime fell in particular: he mentioned fewer home burglaries, robberies and vehicle thefts.

Staffing

Ruks named filling vacancies as the current priority. He said the police have done relatively well on this over the past two years. At the same time, signals about possible changes that could worsen the situation in the interior ministry services leave employees feeling uncertain about the future.