– It is disrespectful to the people who have contributed to making Norway safer over decades. This must be followed up. This is what Per-Willy Amundsen (Frp) says to news after several police officers have lost their security clearance. The Police Union also told us this week about increased attendance from members who experience the same thing, on the basis of their connection to another country. – It is closer to an insult to skilled police officers who have been on the job, protecting us from criminals and potentially dangerous terrorists. That someone experiences losing their clearance overnight seems to me shameless. – Can’t continue Amundsen is worried about what he fears is a schematic procedure from the Civil Clearance Authority (SKM). Now he wants to go to their office in Moss to check if everything is going well. – I would like to take the initiative for the justice committee to go down to Moss to get an overview of how they process and handle cases, and gain insight into how they make their assessments. – If they want to accept us then, he says. Now it remains to be seen whether the rest of the committee will follow suit. That someone experiences losing their clearance overnight seems to me shameless, says Frps Per-Willy Amundsen. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB – What is absolutely clear is that you cannot continue with the practice you see today. I don’t intend to give in to this at first. SKM: – Welcome Director Gudmund Gjølstad of the Civil Clearance Authority welcomes Amundsen. – SKM welcomes visitors, and in that case will use such an opportunity to inform in detail about the work carried out in the area of personnel safety. Gjølstad emphasizes that SKM is already subject to control by the EOS committee. – This committee has carried out inspections at SKM annually, and summarizes its work in an annual report that is given to the Storting each spring. – In addition to these inspections, where all the information we have is made available for inspection, SKM will also welcome any inquiries from the justice committee. – I feel that I cannot be trusted This week, Amundsen asked a written question to Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl. He wanted a guarantee from Mehl that decisions to deprive people of clearance are made on an individual basis, as required by the Security Act. In the reply from the minister, it is stated that the ministry reminded the security authorities in October at the latest of how important it is that all cases are assessed individually and holistically. And not least – in line with the law. But Amundsen is not confident that the system is working as it should. – It must be an individual assessment, and it does not appear that way today, says Amundsen. – I therefore do not feel that I can have confidence that SKM follows the Storting’s intention in the Security Act. – You were the Minister of Justice yourself when the Civil Clearing Authority was established in 2018? – Correct. – What do you think about it? – SKM was created because there was too little control over clearance. We had a number of people where good enough assessments were not made, he says. Believes that the work has been strengthened, Amundsen believes that demands must still be placed on the clearance institute. – There should be no automaticity in that connection to another country disqualifies people from security clearance. SKM director Gudmund Gjølstad completely agrees with this. Director of SKM, Gudmund Gjølstad. Photo: Rune Hansen / news – And it is not like that today either, but based on individual assessments – and where different conditions and information are assessed – it is our duty to make negative decisions when it is right. Gjølstad says that SKM collects information from a number of sources before making a decision. They also assess threats and vulnerabilities in a person’s life, or those close to them. Through dialogue with other clearance authorities and the National Security Authority, SKM has a goal that everyone who applies for a clearance should be treated equally, says Gjølstad. – We are experiencing today, through having gathered both resources and expertise, that both legal certainty and quality in the clearance work have been strengthened. – Can’t have a blindingly white police Amundsen has read the cases from news, including about Xander Radpey who, after 17 years in the service, lost his security clearance. The reason he was given was his connection to his country of birth, Iran, and the risk of pressure from the regime. Xander Radpey is among the police officers who have recently lost their security clearance. Photo: Rune Hansen / news According to a statement from the police, their ability to fight serious crime and terror may be “heavily reduced” as a result of the decision. – It is not an advantage if those who work as scouts, for example, are blindingly white. The background can be important for gaining acceptance, slipping in and building trust. – If you take away skilled people who the police themselves emphasize are important resources for them, it can put us in a position to fight serious crime and terror, says Amundsen. The SKM director says he understands that it can be difficult and challenging not to be security cleared. – The purpose of our work is to make correct assessments of the individual’s security suitability, in line with the law – so that we contribute to creating security in society and protect our most important values and functions, says Gjølstad.
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– I don’t intend to give up anytime soon – news Dokumentar
