Print REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA LAW ON POLICE ACTIVITIES
(17 October 2000 No. VIII-2048)
(As amended on 12 December 2000 No. IX – 74)
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CHAPTER TWO
POLICE SYSTEM
Article 14. Territorial Police Bodies
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6. Police units of a lower level shall be established in administrative centres of municipalities to service territories of appropriate municipalities. Such police units shall:
1) ensure public safety and order;
2) taking into account the needs of the local population and together with local authorities, public organisations and residents, draw up and implement programmes intended for crime prevention, protection of lives, health and property of the population, as well as public order;
3) carry out prevention of criminal acts and other violations of law, detect and investigate criminal acts and other violations of law;
4) submit draft budgets to the heads of police headquarters of a higher level;
5) implement tasks and functions, which are assigned to their competence, set by foundation and other legal documents;
6) account for their activities to the police headquarters of a higher level, the municipal mayor and community of the municipality.
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CHAPTER FOUR
USE OF FIREARMS, PHYSICAL AND OTHER COERCION
Article 23. Types of Coercion and Conditions of the Use Thereof
1. The police officer shall have the right to use coercion when it is necessary to prevent violations of law, to apprehend the persons who have committed said violations, as well as in other cases when protecting and defending lawful interests of an individual, society, the State. Coercion which might cause bodily injuries or death , may be used to the extent which is necessary for the fulfilment of the official duty, and only after all possible measures of persuasion or other measures have been used with no effect. The type of coercion and the limits of the use thereof shall be selected by the police officer, taking into account the concrete situation, nature of the violation of law and individual features of the offender. When using coercion, police officers must seek to avoid detrimental consequences.
2. The police officer may, in the manner and cases provided for by the law, use mental or physical coercion, a firearm and explosives.
3. When used in this Law, mental coercion shall mean as a warning about an intention to use physical coercion, a firearm or explosives. Demonstration of a firearm and warning shots shall be regarded as mental coercion, however, such measures of mental coercion may be used only in the presence of the conditions laid down in paragraph 2 of Article 24 of this Law.
4. When used in this Law, physical coercion shall mean:
1) use of physical force of any kind as well as methods of combat wrestling;
2) use of special equipment, i.e. of truncheons, handcuffs and restraining devices, gas, police dogs, methods of stopping transport by force, and other means of active and passive defence of the police, permitted by the law and approved by an order of the Minister of the Interior.
5. Before using physical coercion or a firearm, the police officer must warn the person about his intention, providing the said person with a possibility to fulfil lawful requirements, with the exception of the cases when delaying poses a threat to the life or health of the police officer or another person, or when such warning is impossible.
6. If the police officer does not carry special equipment or a firearm with him, he may use any additional measures necessary to repel an attempt or to liquidate sources of threat.
7. The police officer who has used coercion without violating the requirements of this Law, but who has inflicted damage on the valuables protected by the law, shall not be held liable.
8. The prosecutor’s office shall be immediately informed about the use by the police officer of coercion, which has caused individual’s death or injuries.
9. Police officers must undergo special training and periodically checked if they are able to act in the situations related to the use of physical coercion, firearms or explosives.
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