Lithuania’s police chief proposes officer rotations to combat border corruption

Lithuania’s police commissioner has proposed rotating officers between districts to tackle systemic corruption, particularly in border regions, following a major smuggling crackdown that implicated 13 law enforcement personnel, LRT.lt reports.

Police General Commissioner Arūnas Paulauskas suggested the measure during a discussion on the public broadcaster’s political talk show, stating that voluntary rotations of one to two years could help break up entrenched corrupt networks. “Currently, there is no rotation system for rank-and-file officers,” he said, noting that only senior commanders are reassigned every five years.

The proposal follows a May operation in which 27 people—including 10 police officers and three border guards—were detained for alleged involvement in cross-border smuggling via balloons. Eight of the arrested officers worked at the Šalčininkai police commissariat, near the Belarusian border.

Paulauskas argued that transferring officers from high-risk areas like Šalčininkai to districts such as Kėdainiai, and vice versa, would introduce “neutral personnel who know no one and simply follow the law.” He acknowledged the need for financial incentives, such as relocation support, to encourage participation.

The Police Department has not yet provided details on implementation, cost, or timeline, stating that the idea remains under internal discussion. A police union representative countered that existing anti-corruption measures are sufficient if properly enforced.

Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovich previously called the arrests a “painful success,” while Paulauskas emphasized that convicted officers would be treated as “enemies, not colleagues.” The crackdown has exposed vulnerabilities in border security, prompting calls for structural reforms.