Halfway to Latvia's finest

RIGA - Latvia's Police College celebrated its fourth anniversary at the Police Academy of Latvia on March 20. In a well-organized ceremony the 364 students, finishing the first half of their two and a half year education, stood in place on Parades Laukums.

Peteris Jefimovs, director of the Police College, held a brief speech and handed out some honorary diplomas for highest test results, most popular student and most popular teacher.

Aivars Dombrovskis, director of Public Law, expressed some concern regarding the students' future saying that the students have some practical fieldwork during their education, but it won't prepare them for all situations that might occur in the line of duty.

"We try to make them use what they learn," he said.

The Police College provides its students a higher education acknowledged by the state. The second year they are divided according to what they want to specialize in: order police, criminal police, criminalistics or inquiry service. When they graduate, the students will have the first level of higher professional education, qualification for a middle command position, and get the rank of police lieutenant.

"I really want to study and get an academic degree. I also want to work as a police officer," said Lasma Vecrinke, a very proud student. But she doesn't think that working will be easy.

"I think that there will be more and more criminals in the future, and we will have to fight with them. The government must do some changes so the people can live better."

20 percent of The Police College students are young women.

Nadja Danilova would like to study for the full five years because a higher education is important.

"Women are also smart - not only men. It is a dangerous work, but so far so good. We'll live and see," she said.