“Kongsberg Police Violence Case: Six Months Later, Victims Continue to Struggle with Trauma and Mistrust”

VESTFOSSEN (Dagbladet): Marius Stormo (28) sits down on the veranda with a cup of coffee in hand. The sun is shining, but the mild May air still lingers in Vestfossen, about half an hour’s drive from Kongsberg.

For Stormo, this spring feels a little extra long.

– The last few months have been characterized by a lot of worries about the future, he says to Dagbladet.

Stormo is one of two who, after the police violence case in Kongsberg, was arrested and charged with violence against the police.

Now he talks about how the meeting with the police on this October night has affected him in the following months.

– Struggling with anxiety

– If I see the police, I can feel my heartbeat. Then I go another way and pull away. That’s not how it should be with an agency that is there to help us, says Stormo.

He tells Dagbladet that the fear of being convicted of violence against the police has left its mark on his sleep at night.

So is the fear that something similar will happen again.

Six months after the police violence case in Kongsberg took place, Stormo says that he is still getting professional help.

– I go to DPS, because I have suffered a lot with anxiety afterwards. I feel that things are starting to go a little better now, but I’ve had problems going out where there are a lot of people, says Stormo.

Several others of those involved in police violence have also told Dagbladet that they are struggling with the after-effects.

Kevin Simensen, the 26-year-old who is seen getting beaten up by the police officer in the video, has previously told Dagbladet how the violent incident has affected him, both mentally and physically. Among other things, he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Haunted by the trauma: – Have nightmares

Had to drop out of studies

For Stormo’s part, the incident has also had other consequences than the psychological ones.

As a result of the accusation of violence against him, the university was informed, and he had to stop his studies as a kindergarten teacher, he tells Dagbladet.

Despite the fact that one officer has been prosecuted for violence and another fined for having deleted the video of the incident from Stormo’s mobile phone, the charge against both Kevin Simensen and Marius Stormo still stands.

The charge also affects job opportunities, Stormo explains.

The injuries he sustained to his hip, shoulder and fingers in a car accident last autumn have led to advice on retraining from his job in the construction industry as a formwork carpenter. But it is not only easy to apply for a job with a charge of violence hanging over you, he explains.

– There are many jobs that I have not chosen to apply for, because then the charge appears, and others that I cannot get because of the charge. So much is like waiting in life.

Characterized by mistrust

In the Bureau’s decision to fine the police officer, it appears that they believe the deletion of the video was unrestrained, and that the act represented a gross breach of duty. They further believe that the officer acted grossly negligently.

Stormo believes this video could support their explanation of the incident at Esso. He has stated that he thinks the reaction from the Bureau is too lenient.

Stormo tells Dagbladet that he also feels sorry for honest police officers who may find the incident at Kongsberg burdensome for their professional group.

Nevertheless, he does not hide that his trust in the police service as a whole is greatly weakened.

– This has certainly affected my trust in the police as an agency. This is an agency that is supposed to look after the citizens, protect people and calm the dangerous situations. They are not the ones you would expect to be the aggressive party and who commit gross violence. When they also delete evidence and use the police report to charge me and Kevin with police violence, I don’t follow that I can trust them in any context, says Stormo.

“It’s important that we are held accountable”

This mistrust also has consequences for himself.

In connection with a compensation case after the car accident last autumn, Stormo says that he has been asked by the police to send a power of attorney so that they can obtain medical information and other necessary documentation.

He still hasn’t had the chance, he explains to Dagbladet.

– I’m probably afraid that they might want to abuse it if they get the power of attorney. It’s stupid, but I just haven’t brought myself to do it.