The audit by the State Audit Office of Latvia has concluded that the main reason for the shortage of police officers in the State Police of Latvia is no longer remuneration, but human resource management and prioritization of tasks. In the last five years, the number of police officers has decreased by more than 1,000. Currently, approximately a quarter of the positions are vacant and cannot be filled in the long term. In Latvia, the number of police officers per capita is 58% lower than the average in the European Union.
IN BRIEF
- Police salaries have increased significantly in recent years in Latvia, and it should no longer be a reason for police officers to leave the service.
- In the last five years, the number of police officers has decreased by more than 1,000, and approximately a quarter of the positions are vacant. The shortage of police officers is compensated partially by overtime, which totals 296 full-time positions.
- Workloads and human resources are distributed unequally. In Riga Region, only 44% of the required number of police officers is provided in the field of investigation, response and prevention. In Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme and Latgale, the provision is around 83%.
- Almost 1,000 police officers perform administrative work or perform security functions at various facilities.
- Comprehensive solutions are needed to attract and retain police officers. It includes balancing workloads at the institution level, changing the distribution procedure for cadets, relieving police officers of non-characteristic tasks, continuing to improve the service pension system, and involving the public and the private sector in ensuring security more broadly.
“In the last ten years, more police officers have retired from the service than are expected. Remuneration has increased, but without targeted human resource management, fair workload distribution and an assessment of what tasks the police actually need to perform, we continue to overload existing police officers and risk them leaving the service prematurely. The possibilities to compensate for the lack of human resources by attracting new police officers are limited, as the labour shortage is already felt in almost all sectors in Latvia. The audit shows that improvements are possible with existing resources, but it requires bold decisions,” stated Mr Gatis Litvins, Council Member of the State Audit Office of Latvia.
Salaries have increased, but that alone is not enough
According to the State Audit Office of Latvia, it can no longer be considered that the remuneration of the State Police officials is low. Significant progress has been made in strengthening the competitiveness of police officer remuneration in the last five years, as more than 80 million euros have been allocated for its increase, and police officer remuneration has increased by an average of 78% during this period. The average police officer salary exceeds the average gross remuneration in the public sector by 56% currently.
There have also been positive changes in the entry into service, as the minimum remuneration set for cadets of 1,120 euros per month is significantly higher than the minimum wage set in the country and is comparable to the remuneration of a junior inspector. The positive changes are also evidenced by the increase in the number of cadets admitted to the State Police College, which was the largest in September 2025 since the establishment of the State Police College.
However, the remuneration system should be fairer taking into account the amount of work and workload. The workload of Riga Region Administration officials is significantly higher, but the remuneration is only slightly higher than in other regional administrations. This affects the opportunities for Riga Region Administration to attract new police officers and retain them in service negatively. It should be noted that a large part of the total remuneration is still made up of the variable part, including overtime pay.
Human resources are distributed unequally
The lack of human resources is a major problem, that is, the existing resources are not distributed evenly and the workload of police officers varies significantly in different parts of Latvia. Regional administrations, which provide approximately 90% of the basic police functions, have only 63% of the required number of police officers in the areas of investigation, response and prevention. Moreover, the differences among regions are significant: the provision reaches around 83% in Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme and Latgale while it is only 44% in the Riga Region, where the population is concentrated most.
The lack of police officers is partly compensated by overtime, as they corresponded to 296 full-time hours in 2024. According to the State Audit Office of Latvia, these are the minimum human resources needed to perform the functions of the State Police without constant overloading of officials. The State Police already has funding available for such an increase in the number of police officers, and additional funds would not be required.
The problem is also exacerbated by the procedure for assigning cadets to further service after graduating from the State Police College, namely, the place of service is often determined by the place of residence and the personal wishes of a cadet, rather than the needs of the service. As a result, less than half of the graduates end up in the Riga Region, although this is where the shortage of employees is greatest. In the opinion of the State Audit Office, the wishes of the cadet must be balanced with the needs and interests of the service, especially considering that they are trained for specific police tasks.
Police officers perform tasks that are not typical of a special service
The audit has found that a large proportion of police officers in the State Police are employed in positions whose duties do not require the status of police officer or increased risk or specific physical fitness inherently. The work of these police officers is mostly related to routine and administrative duties. For example, administrative violation investigation, forensics, licensing or methodological work, where more than 700 police officers work. It means that police officers specially trained for the service do not work in areas where their presence is critically needed, for example, in response.
Changes to the service pension system will not solve problems
The existing service pension system encourages officials to leave the service. The service pension replaces the salary earned during service almost completely, that is, by 93%. Although the reform of the service pension system will take effect from 2027, according to the State Audit Office of Latvia, it will not change the situation significantly for at least another 25 years.
After serving in the State Police, an average of 244 people retire each year, and their average age is 48 years. Recipients of service pensions in the interior sector have the greatest impact on the state budget, as they constitute more than 80% of all recipients of service pensions. In 2024, 8,844 individuals retired from the interior institutions received service pensions. The total annual costs amount to around 72 million euros.
The planned five-year increase in length of service and age will occur gradually over ten years and will not solve the shortage of police officers in the near future. In addition, the reform may not even affect a significant part of officials, who will still be able to retire at a relatively young age. The Latvian service pension system will continue to differ significantly from the systems of other European Union Member States, which have different retirement rules or have even abolished service pensions. In order to ensure a fair, proportionate and nationally relevant service pension system, it must be further reformed.
The public and businesses must be involved in reducing the workload of the police
Ensuring public safety is not only the task of the police because the public and the private sector must also be involved. Internal security policy must be implemented jointly, with the police setting clear priorities and creating mechanisms that allow citizens and the private sector to implement their part in protecting rights and common security properly.
“Such an approach is consistent with the principle of solidarity enshrined in the preamble to the Constitution, namely, everyone takes care of themselves, their loved ones and the common good of society by acting responsibly towards others. Complete reliance only on the police is neither realistic nor desirable, as it weakens the resilience of society and the responsibility of each individual. Nowadays, there are various opportunities for private individuals to protect their property and get involved in strengthening public order and security,” added Mr Litvins.
A significant contribution can be made by volunteer police assistants, whose effectiveness is confirmed by the experience of neighbouring countries. Currently, there are only 27 police assistants in Latvia, and the development and importance of this format has not been assessed sufficiently, therefore pilot projects are needed to determine the most effective models.
Police resources can be relieved by involving private security companies more widely. Currently, 280 police officers provide security for various facilities. It is not the best way to use specially trained personnel for the service, especially in conditions where there is a shortage of police officers.
Special attention should be paid to cooperation with commercial merchants. In 2024, theft, fraud and embezzlement on a small scale accounted for 32% of all registered crimes. More effective prevention and investigation are hampered by the lack of a single cooperation format and digital reporting solution, as well as the unclear legal framework for visual recognition of individuals without biometric data processing.
Recommendations of the State Audit Office of Latvia #PēcRevīzijas
To address the shortage of police officers and improve the effectiveness of the State Police, the State Audit Office of Latvia has provided seven recommendations to the Ministry of the Interior and the State Police. Their implementation will equalise the workload of police officers, allow for more effective use of police officers for the performance of critical police functions, and promote the retention of experienced police officers. Police officers will also be relieved of their presence in resolving less significant situations by involving the public and businesses more widely.
At the same time, the State Audit Office of Latvia calls on the Cabinet of Ministers to continue improving the service pension system so that it meets the interests of national security, the human resource needs of the services, the capabilities of the state budget, and the principle of fairness in relation to the rest of society.
Additional reading: audit report summary, infographics.
PRESS CONFERENCE
On 27 January 2026 at 10:00 a.m., the Ministry of the Interior will host a press conference of the Ministry of the Interior, the State Police and the State Audit Office of Latvia at Čiekurkalna 1. līnija, block 2, which will inform about the results of the performance audit conducted by the State Audit Office of Latvia “How to ensure a sufficient number of police officers?” Additional information about the press conference and registration is available HERE.
About the State Audit Office of Latvia
The State Audit Office of the Republic of Latvia is an independent, collegial supreme audit institution. The purpose of its activity is to find out whether the actions with the financial means and property of a public entity are legal, correct, useful and in line with public interests, as well as to provide recommendations for the elimination of discovered irregularities. The State Audit Office conducts audits in accordance with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions INTOSAI (ISSAI), whose recognition in Latvia is determined by the Auditor General. Upon discovering deficiencies, the State Audit Office of Latvia provides recommendations for their elimination, but it informs law enforcement authorities about potential infringements of the law.
Additional information