Unions seek tougher penalties as violence against officers rises

Police unions are calling for tougher penalties for violence and resistance against officers as reported cases rise, LRT reported Wednesday. They say low fines discourage officers and send the wrong message to the public.

Roma Katinienė, head of the Lithuanian Police Trade Union, said after a meeting with parliamentary Speaker Juozas Olekas that resistance and violence against police and other officers could be classified as serious or less serious crimes, carrying tougher sanctions. She said people often receive fines of just 45 euros for resisting officers or failing to follow their instructions.

Katinienė said such cases were increasingly treated as routine, with officers expected to accept that they would face resistance while on duty. The low penalties, she added, demotivate officers and contribute to some leaving the service.

Artūras Černiauskas, acting deputy head of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation, said officers who suffer minor injuries often do not report them because they fear internal investigations. He said officers could face disciplinary action for breaching rules while dealing with difficult situations.

There were 2,500 recorded cases of officers’ instructions being ignored in 2023, rising to 3,700 last year, Černiauskas said. Most involved police orders. He said around 120 to 130 cases of officers being injured while facing resistance have been recorded in recent years.

The Lithuanian Federation of Law Enforcement Officers’ Trade Unions has drafted amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences and the Criminal Code. The proposals would double the penalty for failing to comply with a lawful order and classify less serious resistance as a less serious crime. Cases involving more serious injuries to officers would be placed in the category of serious crimes.

Under the current Criminal Code, resisting a public official or another person performing public administration duties through physical violence or an immediate threat of violence is punishable by community service, a fine, restriction of liberty, arrest or imprisonment for up to three years.

Olekas said he had agreed to discuss the proposals with representatives of relevant institutions and consider submitting amendments to parliament.