Latvian State Police to rotate two more top officials in their posts

Next year Latvian State Police has plans to rotate two more top ranking police officials.
Until now the post of deputy chief of Zemgale region police department, Criminal Police Office chief remained vacant. This post was previously held by Andrejs Sozinovs, who was detained by the State Security Service in spring. Later he decided to leave this post due to health problems.
A selection process was announced for the post, however, none of the candidates who applied for the post were picked and the selection process ended without results, police report.
If such a strategically important post were to remain vacant for a long time, it could have an impact on the quality of the institution’s functions. It is necessary to appoint an experienced and competent expert, State Police note.
After assessing the situation and considering his previous experience in criminal police, accomplishments, personal qualities and competence, it has been decided to rotate Riga Region Department’s deputy chief of Criminal Police Kaspars Briedis to the aforementioned post for a two-year term starting from 1 January 2022, as confirmed by State Police.
On top of that, from 22 January 2022 onward the post of chief of Main Criminal Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Office Methodological Management and Control Department would remain vacant.
Because of this department’s strategic functions, including the implementation of recommendations presented by the European Commission’s Structural Reform Support programmes, as well as the implementation of different strategic objectives related to the organisation of work of the criminal police, investigation and operational issues, it is necessary to appoint a professional and experienced expert, police note.
Considering the aforementioned and after evaluating potential candidates, it has been decided to appoint the chief of the 1st Office (Prevention of the money laundering, terrorism and proliferation financing) of the Economic Crimes Prevention Office Inese Ratfeldere.
Ratfeldere has years of experience working in different posts in State Police Riga Region Criminal Police Department and Main Criminal Police Department’s structures. Additionally she has noteworthy accomplishments in money laundering prevention, raising and improving investigation capacity and implementing good practices. Ratfeldere has made an example, her knowledge, experience, personal qualities and professional vision will provide considerable contribution to the field of investigations and development of the police in Latvia, as noted by State Police.
Last week Latvian State Police announced plans for several rotations of high ranking posts.
Chief of State Police Armands Ruks made the decision to rotate police officials, ‘considering the need for services to perform their strategically important everyday operations’, as well as the fact that the heads of aforementioned offices have been in their respective posts for a long time.
After 1 January 2022 the chief of the Economic Crimes Enforcement Department Pēteris Bauska will be rotated to the position of chief of Organised Crime Enforcement Department until 5 December 2024.
The current chief of the Department of Criminology Pauls Krūmiņš will be rotated to the post of chief of the Economic Crimes Enforcement Department until 4 April 2022.
Col. Andrejs Siņavins, who is currently the chief of the Organised Crime Prevention Department, will be rotated to the position of chief of the Department of Criminology.