SANDEFJORD (VG) The Norwegian Police Federation believes that war and economic turmoil mean the government’s main goal of more local policing should be put on hold. Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl is sticking to the target, but does not promise any dates.
– Erna Solberg ruled for eight years and centralized the police. I think it requires us to strengthen the local police force. So I can well understand that you have to factor in a lot of different considerations in this type of plan, and that’s exactly what we want to do. This is why we have also reached out extensively for input, Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) tells VG.
He spoke at the Police Federation’s national meeting at the Scandic Park Hotel in Sandefjord on Tuesday.
When union leader Unn Alma Skatvold thanked her before she left the stage, she also sent out a clear message:
– If you should take one signal from us, it’s that we have given extensive support to the Hurdal platform and the points that are on it. We are very concerned about the local police. But then we said that in the times that we’re in now, with the security perspective and the economic perspective, there’s every possible reason to take a breather and see if we can meet all the points that are there now.
Pull cut survey
One of the greats of the Center Party election promises there were 20 new sheriff’s offices and police stations in the boroughs. The revived offices must be filled with at least five police officers, promised Sp.
Men two weeks ago Justice Minister Mehl withdrew an investigation on the big cuts in the so-called “headquarters” of the police, which are mostly located in cities. The investigation has provoked reactions from both the Norwegian police union and government partners App. Mehl said it caused a stir.
At the same time, the Ministry of Justice confirmed to VG that it has maintained three out of four points in the investigation, with the aim of providing more police to the districts:
- Create 20 new service points in the districts
- Minimum staff of five police officers
- Establishment of new passport offices
During government negotiations in Hurdal last autumn, Labor agreed to a request from the central SP that 20 new places of employment should be created and that this work should start in 2022. It also says that a minimum number of staff must be guaranteed.
I will never promise
Emilie Enger Mehl tells VG that the government wants more police presence and visibility across the country, both in districts and boroughs.
– You have some pretty specific goals: You’ll start working on it during the year, and there’s 20 new places of work you want. Is it possible to make it?
– We said that we will present a comprehensive plan to strengthen local police throughout the country. We are working on it now, she says and points out that there was an input round in which, among other things, the government sent letters to all municipalities in Norway.
– All of this is part of the basis we now have for working with this plan, so I have to go back to the details when we present it.
– Is it possible to start the big changes you really want, without new funds?
– Now we have already put 275 million on the table and we have also significantly strengthened the police and the PST to work against complex threats and intelligence. So we have to go back to plan content when we get there, and budgets also follow normal processes, says Mehl.
– But is it possible to say whether this will happen in this period?
– After all, we govern according to the Hurdal platform, and it has been important for the government since day one to strengthen local police and increase their presence across the country.
– So you intend to try to achieve the goals in the Hurdal platform despite the challenging times that are?
– This was our starting point. And then we have had a large round of inputs from the municipalities, we have a dialogue with the police and the police management. All of these things are included when we finally present a comprehensive plan to strengthen local policing.
– The government is a team
Mehl says the government last year used it 200 million on the local police, and 75 million more in the budget for next year. He says they have also arranged new cars which can make patrolling easier and increased admissions to the police institute to get enough police officers in time.
He also points out that strengthening local policing is not only something that will have a positive effect in the districts and that the government also wants more visible policing in the districts.
For example, indicate the new police station on Tøyen, which will be served by four police officers.
– Local and visible policing is also absolutely essential to prevent gang recruitment and juvenile crime in cities. It is important that the police have both the capacity and the time to work on prevention, i.e. being out and about, talking to people and understanding what is going on. This is the background.
Regarding the difficult security policy situation Norway finds itself in, he also points out:
– Many of these drone and hybrid threat incidents have occurred across the country. It is important for Norway to include the whole country in our plan.
– Do you feel that you have Ap completely with you in the direction you want to go?
– Government with Sp and Ap is a team and we govern on the Hurdal platform. It has been the starting point for many different political choices, but the most important thing underpinning it is the values: should we see the whole country or not. Then we have to go back to the concrete content when we put forward a plan to strengthen the local police.
