Latvia: Each municipality must have local police as of New Year

All 43 Latvian municipalities are mandated to establish local police units as of 1 January 2024, according to recent legal amendments, LSM reports. Seven municipalities, including Rezekne and Ventspils, failed to establish their own police units by the deadline, however. Some municipalities have opted to merge with neighbouring areas. Financial concerns delayed municipal compliance, as some hoped for extensions or additional state funding, but with none granted, municipalities are now required to source funding from their own budgets.