File pic of Lithuanian police in an antiterrorist exercise. (Xinhua/Alfredas Pliadis)

VILNIUS, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania's Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson started investigation on whether the male police officers should conduct single patrolling, announced the office on Thursday.

The ombudsperson started investigation on possible violation of equal opportunities at work following complaint by a police officer on allegedly different work conditions for male and female police officers, said the Office in a statement.

According to the police officer's complaint letter, male officers conduct single patrolling while crews with female officers received exceptions.

"Women patrol together with male colleagues," said the complaint letter to the equal opportunities watchdog.

The police officer, who applied to the Office, claimed that different patrolling practices embody "gender inequality", though male and female police officers have to meet the same requirements.

Edvardas Sileris, the deputy chief of Lithuania's police, dismissed accusations calling the complaint "rather strange and unjustified". Sileris told the local media, the Lithuanian male and female officers "have equal opportunities, receive equal salary and do patrolling".

"Yes, in some occasions, in dangerous situations, for example, special operations, there are naturally more men. But it's not like we don't send women to patrolling," Sileris told news agency BNS.

According to the deputy chief, women account to 37 percent of the Lithuanian police personnel, and patrolling is conducted "in similar proportions".

The Lithuanian police introduced single patrolling in 2008 on grounds of effectiveness.