A conflict near a bar on Butrinti Street in Sarandë has ended with six people in handcuffs and the suspension of two police officers. According to the official version, the head of Crime Investigation at the Sarandë Police Commissariat was struck by the bar’s security guards after intervening to stop the escalation of the fight.
How police describe the incident
According to police, the incident happened at around 03:20 on August 16, 2026, in the outdoor area of a bar in Sarandë, where security guards were clashing with several other people without notifying public order services.
At that moment, sub-commissioner with the initials M. B., head of Crime Investigation at the Sarandë Police Commissariat, was passing by in his vehicle and stopped after noticing the conflict. According to police, he identified himself by his position and tried to prevent the situation from escalating.
Claim that the officer was struck
The official version says the security guards did not stop the physical confrontation, but also punched the head of Crime Investigation. It further states that he acted in self-defense and managed to call for assistance from police services.
About one minute later, according to the police statement, officers from the Special Force “Shqiponja” and the National Security Forces arrived at the scene, neutralized the conflict, and escorted some of the people involved.
Arrests and one person wanted
After the intervention at the scene, police say they continued checks and located the rest of the bar’s security guards involved in the clash at a home in the village of Gjashtë.
In cooperation with the Sarandë Prosecutor’s Office, six citizens were arrested, including the bar’s administrator. Police also declared wanted a citizen with the initials P. D., 28, identified by police as a security guard at the bar where the conflict happened.
Two officers suspended over secondary employment and failure to intervene
In the same incident, the State Police announced the immediate suspension of two of its employees: inspector A. Sh., an officer of the “RESI” unit, and sub-commissioner A. B., a RENEA officer.
According to police, the two officers were working a second job without authorization at the bar where the conflict occurred and had not notified services about the clash. Under this version as well, although off duty, they should have intervened to prevent the situation from worsening.
The Directorate of Professional Standards has opened a disciplinary investigation against them, while the Prosecutor’s Office is carrying out actions to determine the legal responsibility of all persons involved.
The incident again raises serious questions about oversight of private security activity and about police officers holding second jobs in private venues, a problem that usually surfaces only after a situation has deteriorated.
So far, the public only has the police version of the full dynamics of the conflict and the role of each of those involved.