VILNIUS'S LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE TO INFLUX OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VILNIUS 000082

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/NB, CA/OCS (M. URBINA-MITTNACHT)
FRANKFURT FOR RSC-RCO RBROWN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC CMGT KCRM PGOV LH
SUBJECT: VILNIUS'S LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE TO INFLUX OF
TOURISTS: WHAT IT MEANS FOR AMCITS


1. This is the first cable in a two-part series detailing
efforts law enforcement in Lithuania's capital of Vilnius
are taking to meet the increased demand upon its services
by a burgeoning tourist industry, and a review of Vilnius's
local criminal justice facilities.


2. Summary. More tourists -- and more Amcits -- visit
Lithuania's capital city of Vilnius every year, and the
local law enforcement agencies are doing what they can to
cope. Utilizing EU funds, they plan several customer
service improvements that should benefit Amcit visitors,
including provision of English-language training to
officers, increasing to nearly 100 the number of
surveillance cameras in the most heavily trafficked areas
of Vilnius, and reducing response times on assistance
calls. During site visits to two of Vilnius's largest
central district police headquarters, senior
administrators, told Consular staff that they still face
shortfalls in staff, equipment, and financing that can
affect the quality and celerity of service to visitors.
End Summary.


3. Three members of Post's consular staff, including a
Vice Consul, Senior ACS FSN, and Fraud Assistant on January
17 toured two district police headquarters responsible for
the most heavily trafficked parts of Vilnius, including the
area around the U.S. Embassy and Vilnius's airport, and bus
and train stations. Staff met with Petras Burdelis and
Liucija Boruseviciene, commanders of Vilnius' second and
third commissariats, or district police headquarters,
respectively. Discussions with interlocutors were open and
frank, and consular staff were offered complete access to
all facilities.

-------------- --------------
Vilnius Increasingly Popular for American Tourists
-------------- --------------


4. Lithuania has increasingly become a popular destination
for travelers from the United States. GOL statistics
indicate that travel by Americans to Lithuania increased 30
percent between 2002-2004, from 27,800 to 36,200 visitors
per year, respectively. While most visitors will only
interact with law enforcement personnel at Vilnius'
airport, or notice a foot patrol in Old Town Vilnius, a few
may run afoul of the law and become guests of Lithuania's
police and penitentiary system. For incidents involving
acts at the simple misdemeanor level, most Americans will
face "administrative" discipline that likely would entail a
short stay in police lockup and a fine levied at the police
station. Administrative offenses include illegal
employment, possessing an open container of alcohol,
purchasing or possessing very small amounts of narcotics
for personal use, breaching public order, theft of property
valued at less than $50, DUI, minor traffic offenses, using
public transportation without a ticket, and discharging a
firearm. Those involved in more serious incidents, where
Lithuanian authorities would seek to press formal charges,
may remain guests of the police station for up to 48 hours
before being transferred to Lukiskes prison.

--------------
GOL Addressing Growth in Tourism...
--------------


5. The GOL recently adopted several initiatives to improve
the quality and responsiveness with which law enforcement
agencies provide services and assistance to tourists.
While assistance for Russian or Polish speakers is usually
available at every police station, the Ministry of
Interior, using EU seed money, is sending select police
officers from Vilnius for rudimentary English language
training over a six-month period. Though the first cadre
of 100 officers began this program in January 2006, the
goal is for district headquarters and smaller police
stations in Vilnius to have English-language assistance
available to tourists without the need to call the central
police headquarters or rely upon contract interpreters.
Officers attend class once or twice a week in lieu of their
regular duties for two hours of instruction. The GOL
installed 78 video cameras throughout Old Town Vilnius,
with another 20 slated to come on line before spring.
Police interlocutors also note that there are efforts
underway to reduce police response time to telephone
requests for assistance as well as the time it takes for
the city SWAT team to come online.

--------------
...Yet Problems Abound
--------------


6. Police interlocutors, however, note that they face
significant shortfalls in basic manpower and equipment.
Commander Boruseviciene, whose district covers the bulk of
Old Town Vilnius, the airport and bus and train stations,
told us that she has only 170 officers and seven vehicles
with which to provide services to the more than 9,000,000
people per annum that transit her district. She also noted
that there were also only six computers to serve her
district headquarters, so officers often must utilize their
own personal computers for work. A significant contributor
to the dearth of personnel, she said, is that the post-tax
starting salary for a police officer is approximately $240
per month, roughly half the average Lithuanian salary. The
GOL's delivery of promised salary increases and funding for
equipment and police station renovations often fall short
of what is needed.

--------------
Comment
--------------


7. With tourism on the rise in Lithuania, there is a good
chance that we will see more foreigners -- including
American citizens -- interact with the Lithuanian penal
system. Though it will be a struggle for the Vilnius
police to meet the challenge of increased tourist traffic
on their meager resources, they have taken some necessary,
commonsense steps to meeting the challenge.