Tarnyba Kauno miesto ir apskrities viešojoje policijoje 1918–1932 m.
Service at Kaunas County Public Police in 1918–1932

Summary/Abstract: The present article analyses police service at Kaunas County in 1918–1933. In 1918, when Lithuania regained its independence, law enforcement structures were organized in addition to other most important state institutions. Until mid-1920s, public order was ensured by militia because of an unstable situation in the country. On January 1, 1924, militia was reformed to police and subdivided into public, border, railway, and criminal police. Public police became the most important structure in ensuring order.There was no rush in making laws at the beginning of the Lithuanian independence as the Russian law heritage was trusted. Police officers’ recruitment was very scarcely regulated during the first years of independence. The governance structures, which were independently established, were appointed to control police activities; however, law enforcement structures were mainly operating independently because of lack of officials. At the beginning of independence, police was established during a very unfavourable time when there were no competent officials and there was a lack of finances and people suitable to hold office. An attempt was made to prepare a person for the position when s/he entered the police. For this reason, The Lower Police School was established in 1923 in Rokiškis, where policemen and senior policemen were trained. Some officers entered the school before starting their service, while others after they started their service. After three–six months training, the officers were appointed as policemen at a police station. However, policemen stayed at their position only for three years on average because of poor supply and low salaries. As the changing of officers was high, the school which trained policemen was closed in 1926.Due to the fact that the law base was undeveloped, the career of police officers depended not only on their skills but also on their relationship with their heads and the situation in the whole police system during the independence period. Ordinary policemen often broke the rules during their service time. For violations, penalties were imposed, i.e. arrest from one to fourteen days. The officers who were often at fault did not perform their service for a long time and were dismissed or transferred to another place. As policemen performed their service for a short time, they could not reach a higher rank. Every year attestation of the officers took place in the police structure. During attestation, officers could attain a higher rank, stay in the same position, or be dismissed. The changing of officers was high because of an undeveloped selection system in the police; therefore, the career of policemen at Kaunas County was very complicated during the independence period.

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