Specially Trained Police Officers Can Help People in Life-Threatening Conditions

TALLINN - The Ministry of the Interior is sending a draft amendment to the Law Enforcement Act for a second round of coordination, which would grant police a clearer legal basis and obligation to provide first aid in cases of suspected life-threatening medical conditions.

If the bill becomes law, a police officer with additional medical training arriving at a traffic accident before paramedics will be able to apply first-aid techniques from their training to help stabilize the victim's condition.

According to the Minister of the Interior, the amendment centers on a very practical question: what can a police officer do during the critical minutes while an ambulance is on its way?

"If a police officer is the first to arrive at a traffic accident and finds a person in a life-threatening condition, they must have a clear right and obligation to act within the scope of their training. Sometimes, these first few minutes can determine whether a person's life can be saved," said Minister of the Interior Igor Taro. "This change does not turn police officers into doctors or paramedics. We are giving trained officers a clear legal framework to use the skills they already possess."

Currently, the police lack a clear legal basis to provide first aid in situations where a person's life-threatening health condition is not a result of the use of direct coercion by the police. However, police often arrive at the scene before paramedics. An ambulance typically takes 8-15 minutes to arrive, while in sparsely populated areas, this can extend to 25-30 minutes or more.

In 2025, the Police and Border Guard Board responded to incidents requiring first aid 161 times, and as of the end of July 2026, 92 times.

According to the bill, a police officer will provide aid in a suspected life-threatening medical situation within the limits of their training and capabilities, provided it does not interfere with their primary duties. An officer with additional medical training can use first-aid techniques corresponding to their training. Aid will be provided until an ambulance arrives or the person is handed over to a healthcare provider. The police will not become a healthcare provider under this change, and individuals will retain the right to refuse assistance.

Another significant change involves determining intoxication, which will become faster and more flexible. In the future, in addition to a doctor, other qualified healthcare professionals, such as nurses, can describe a person's condition. Forensic institutions will also be able to consider signs of intoxication documented by the police in their assessment. This will help reduce unnecessary trips and long waits at healthcare facilities, allowing police officers to return to their main duties more quickly.

In 2025, the Police and Border Guard Board used hospital services to determine intoxication 1,769 times, which took up a total of 6,432 police work hours. The amendment does not mean that police will determine intoxication themselves; the final assessment will still be made by a forensic institution, and individuals will retain the right to request a biological fluid test to detect substances.