A HIGH-RANKING police officer returned to Britain in shame late last night after it emerged his embarrassing gaffe seems certain to have cost Cleveland Police £100,000 - and potentially £1m.

Chief Superintendent Kevin Pitt, 49, has been accused of tarnishing the force's reputation after he was caught on security cameras urinating against Lithuania's Presidential Palace.

A Lithuanian police chief said yesterday that when Chief Supt Pitt was arrested, he waved his police ID card, said he had influence with the Lithuanian Special Investigation Service (LSIS) and warned: "None of you will work here after today."

Ironically, Chief Supt Pitt, the District Commander of Stockton Division was in the Baltic state to teach ethics and anti-corruption as part of a lucrative EU contract worth £100,000 to the Cleveland force.

Now the contract looks set to go elsewhere after the LSIS announced it was not prepared to work with Chief Supt Pitt or his colleague, Inspector Kerry Anderson , again.

The embarrassing blunder has also jeopardised the chances of the Cleveland force securing up to ten other similar contracts with former Soviet states hoping to gain EU entry.

The future career of Chief Supt Pitt, who has faced heavy criticism before, now hangs in the balance.

He is expected to go before Barry Shaw, Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, today.

Last night, former Home Office advisor to Jack Straw, Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate, said Chief Supt Pitt's antics had brought the police service into disrepute. "I think when any officer goes abroad they've got to bear in mind that they're acting as ambassadors," he said.

Yesterday, the security camera images of Chief Supt Pitt relieving himself at the side of the palace were broadcast on Lithuanian state television. The men had been drinking heavily in an old part of the Lithuanian capital Vilnius.

Lithuanian Police Commissioner Liucija Boruseviciene said that on the way one of the officers vomited in the police car and back at the station the men became abusive.

Chief Supt Pitt was fined £35 for a public order offence. Insp Anderson escaped prosecution.

Alex Matomis, of the Baltic News Service, said: "There is the suggestion that all Lithuanian immigrants in Britain should gather outside Buckingham Palace to carry out a similar protest."

Cleveland Police said last night the incident was being investigated.