Following the killing of dogs in early October in the Brunava municipality, the Bauska regional council decided on Thursday to dismiss the chief of police of the Bauska municipality, Egils Gailis.
He was dismissed from his position based on an interim report from the commission regarding the service investigation.
"We recognize that what happened in the Brunava municipality has caused a deep emotional resonance. I want to emphasize that the municipality condemns the disproportionate actions of those involved in the killing of the dogs," stated the chairman of the Bauska regional council, Aivars Maceks.
The task of the service investigation is to establish whether the municipal police officers fully adhered to the established algorithm of actions when responding to calls regarding animal offenses. This algorithm was developed to ensure public safety, protect animals, and clearly delineate responsibilities.
The investigation found that the chief of the municipal police did not adequately assess the situation, did not set priorities, and left the process uncontrolled. Furthermore, the information gathered during the investigation did not confirm that the police officers reported the incident to the State Police.
It was also established during the investigation that the municipal police officers left the scene during the incident itself. Additionally, contradictions were found in their explanations and video materials, raising doubts about the good faith of the actions of those involved in the incident, the municipality reported.
The municipality also indicated that the officers did not comply with internal rules regarding the use of body cameras. According to available information, in certain episodes of the incident, including the moment of contact with third parties, the cameras were turned off. Moreover, the established procedure for uploading video materials was violated.
At the same time, the available materials from the service investigation indicate that no order was given to shoot the dogs.
"Considering the identified facts and the need for thorough assessment, the commission requested additional time to continue working on the preparation of the complete material of the service investigation, which will be submitted to the State Police," the municipality reported.
The executive director of the Bauska municipality, Ivars Romanovs, instructed the acting chief of the municipal police, Aivars Vilcins, to familiarize himself with the interim report of the service investigation and make a decision regarding the accountability of the officers and their compliance with their positions.
In order to enhance the efficiency of the municipal police, all internal regulations will be promptly reviewed for compliance with legislation, as well as the mechanisms for internal control over their implementation, the municipality reported. It is planned that a decree will be issued this week to conduct a competition for the position of police chief of the municipality.
As reported, on October 10 of this year, the Bauska municipality police received a call regarding three aggressively behaving stray dogs that posed a threat to the owner on private property in the Brunava municipality of Bauska County. The duty officer of the municipal police contacted the animal capture service; however, a representative of the hunting collective arrived before the animal catchers and shot the dogs.
