Latvian police skip work en masse

  • 2008-09-02
  • In cooperation with BNS
RIGA - A series of raids on state police stations carried out bythe Interior Ministry has found that almost all of the employees in certaindepartments had failed to show up to work. 

Interior Minister Mareks Seglins announced the results ofthe Aug. 29 probe on Sept. 2. He said that the results were particularly bad intwo departments in Riga.

In the Ziemeli police department, the raid found only fouremployees at work. There should have been 130 people on duty. Department representativessaid there had been a sport day planned, but that the day was canceled.

The results were even worse at the Brasa department, whereonly three out of 140 employees were present. Department representatives saidthat the head of the department told employees they could go home at noon.

Seglins has informed the police union of the situation andasked the state police interior security service to carry out an investigationof the two departments by Sept. 15.