On Tuesday, the Norwegian Police University College presented its evaluation report of the police’s efforts and the interaction between the police and PST after Espen Andersen Bråthen killed five people in Kongsberg in October last year.
The 246-page report concludes that the operational effort showed a very great will to act, as the first reports came in that a man had been observed with a bow and arrow in Kongsberg.
– A victim of one’s own illness
Nevertheless, the report shows that the operational efforts also show a “lack of information flow and cooperation from the police to the other emergency services.”
“The committee finds that collaboration at the operational level is not sufficiently taken care of in the context of exercises.” it says in the report.
Central point
When the first reports reached the police on 13 October last year, the incident was soon defined as an ongoing life-threatening violent incident (PLIVO).
The report concludes that the operational handling of the incident on 13 October 2021 shows a lack of information flow and interaction from the police to the other emergency services. This is despite the fact that the PLIVO procedure is an interaction procedure.
THE COOP SHOP: Inside Coop Extra in Kongsberg, Espen Andersen Bråthen fired several arrows at random people. Photo: Bjørn Langsem / Dagbladet
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Under the point about PLIVO in the report, it is described how the interaction between the emergency services unfolded when the message came in. AMK was eventually notified that the perpetrator had left the store, but they received no information about which direction he had gone.
Both the fire brigade and ambulance personnel tried to call the police task leader, but did not get an answer, according to the report.
“Operation manager AMK found it uncomfortable to have personnel in the area, without knowing where the perpetrator was. There were no police at the meeting place, and there was chaos there. It was an experience to have your heart in your throat, when you send in resources without knowing if there is a danger to life and health for the personnel. In addition, operations manager AMK experienced that there was a lack of information, and less good site descriptions. “
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Disproportionate risk
The police have previously received harsh criticism from several people after the first two police officers who arrived at the Coop Extra store in Kongsberg did not wear the necessary safety equipment.
Dramatic police chase: – Had to be stopped
The first two on the spot, Henrik Høiberg and Henning Ødegård, were told to put on protective equipment, but considered that it was better to get into the store quickly – that it took seconds to get there.
Inside the store, they were shot by arrows and had to pull out. This led to them not having control over Espen Andersen Bråthen, and that he took out a side door.
The committee finds that the patrols made qualified assessments for the use of protective equipment, but took a disproportionate risk by not wearing heavy protective equipment when they received information about an increased threat in the mission, the committee concludes.
The police officers also explained in court that they did not know that there was another exit to the store. One may ask why they did not know – or at least thought about – that there was an emergency exit / fire doors at the store. But they thought he was isolated.
DEFENDANT: Espen Andersen Bråthen is accused of having killed five people in Kongsberg last year. Photo: Screenshot / NTB
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35 improvement points
Finally, in the report, the committee lists a number of conservation and improvement points for both the police and PST.
Below are some of the 35 improvement points:
- The police operations centers, and the other emergency call centers, should practice PLIVO in their function and in their normal environment.
- The operations center should read out a situational understanding of the connection, and repeat this in the event of changes.
- The operations center should ensure that patrols have received critically important information.
- The PLIVO procedure should be revised with regard to key clarifications of concepts, such as what it means to “neutralize” a perpetrator.
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