She was alone in a shopping mall, with her under-one-year-old baby. Then an acquaintance of the police came walking towards her. – He said my name out loud, before he said “you’ve got me a young man, you”, says the police officer from the safety of his own home. She is anonymous for the sake of herself and her family. At work, the police officer has been close to gang environments, and has experienced that her private life has been dragged into police work. – After the meeting inside the shopping centre, I went to the garage basement. Then I saw that the man who sought me out earlier was standing and looking out on the way down. Three men sat in a car with the windows down and the engine running, looking at me and laughing, says the police officer. The police officer would like to not have to worry in his spare time. Photo: news The men quickly drove away after a patrol car was called, she says. – The wish is that we can also be ourselves, as mother, father or wife, in private. Without being afraid that someone will seek you out because of a system that does not protect us police officers well enough, says the police officer. Increase in cases of violence In recent years, the number of reports relating to violence against the police has increased, according to figures news has received from the Norwegian Police Directorate. The trend looks set to continue. During the first half of 2023, 825 reports of violence against the police have been received, 13 more than the same period last year. Intimidation cases are added. From 2017 to 2022, the number of cases of threats against the police increased by 25 per cent, to 885 in the last full year. So far this year, more than 600 cases involving violence and threats against the police have been dealt with in Norwegian courts, according to figures news has had access to. Here are some of the cases dealt with in Norwegian courts this year: Pinching of the testiclesStavanger, 22 April, 2023: Man (34) charged with having pushed a police officer, and tore off his ID card. “Furthermore, he hit police officer NN in the forehead with a clenched hand and scratched his thigh and testicles”, according to the indictment. having been stopped for disorderly conduct. According to the indictment, she allegedly said “I will kill you and all your descendants” and “I know where you live”, or similar. Sentenced to prison for 21 days.”Putte en kule i panna di”Stavanger, 12 June 2022: Man (49) indicted for having stated that he was going to kill two police officers in connection with an arrest. Should also have said “I know who you are”, “you’re going to burn”, “I’m going to put a bullet in your forehead”, “I’m going to shame you”, “you’re going to die” and “I’m going to crush your skull”, or similar. Allegedly also tried to fire the police officers. Later that night, he spat at two other police officers, according to the indictment. The doorframe hit the police officer’s arm Oslo, 11 February 2023: Man (20) charged with trying to drive away from the police under the influence of nitrous oxide. According to the indictment, he accelerated the car and swerved to the left so that the car’s door frame hit the arm of a police officer. The officer had to move away to avoid being hit further by the car. Threatened with a knife Oslo, 8 December 2022: Man (44) is said to have pointed a knife at a police officer, and then walked towards another with the knife raised above his head. The background was a check at the address following a report of self-harm. Sentenced to prison for 25 days. – A societal challenge Unn Alma Skatvold is union leader of the Norwegian Police Union. She points to incidents related to three main tracks: Incidents that occur in connection with police action/arrest Incidents related to psychiatry Violence and threats that are used to prevent the police from investigating a particular case or network Unn Alma Skatvold is the leader of the Norwegian Police Union. Photo: Martin HW Zondag / news The PF leader is particularly concerned that violence and threats are used by criminals to threaten police officers not to investigate offences. Skatvold has seen several examples of police officers who cannot bear to work with certain environments because of this. – I believe that is a societal challenge, because if the police can’t bear to deal with it, who will? In a survey carried out last year, more than one in three PF members answered that they have experienced unpleasant incidents outside working hours, either towards themselves or their family. – We have people who live at secret addresses, we have quite a few different measures, simply to take care of people who have experienced this. Questionnaire about violence and threats In February 2022, the Norwegian Police Federation conducted a survey among its members with questions about threats and unpleasant incidents. Over 4,500 members responded. Almost six out of ten fear that something may happen to them or their family after working hours, which may be linked to their job in the police. Almost six out of ten have received threats, during working hours or in their free time, that something will happen or be done to them or their families. Almost seven out of ten have, as a result of their job as a police officer, taken precautions with regard to security, beyond what is usually done. Source: Politiets Fellesforbund member survey 2022 Audun Buseth, chief security representative for the police and sheriff’s agency, is concerned about the development. Chief Protection Officer Audun Buseth is concerned Photo: William Jobling / news – If violence and threats become a more systematic means of action, then one can imagine that some criminal circles or others actively use this to hinder the police’s work. It is a social problem, and a challenge for democracy, says Buseth. Facts about violence and threats against the police From 2010 to 2022, the number of reports for violence against police officers increased from 909 to 1,665. So far this year, 825 reports for violence against the police have been registered, according to figures news has received from the Norwegian Police Directorate. In the same period last year, the number was 812 reviews. At the same time, figures from the Courts Administration (DA) show that over 600 criminal cases concerning threats and violence against police officers have been settled by verdict so far this year. The figures for criminal cases apply to both cases that have ended in conviction and criminal prosecution, but there may also be a number of acquittals in this pile. DA states that the figures are taken from the case management system LOVISA, which has certain degrees of freedom when it comes to registration. Errors and omissions may occur, according to the DA. Sources: The Norwegian Police Directorate, Court Administration Wants to shield the identity of police officers In February, the government set up a committee to assess the need to shield the identity of police officers and correctional staff. The investigation must be delivered by the end of January 2024. The police officer has high hopes for change. – When we appear in court to testify, the defendant often sits almost right next to you. It could be the person who, during arrest, threatened to kill me and my family. And the first thing the judge does is ask for your full name and date of birth, she says. Tax violence in the Police Federation says one measure is to drop the name of police officers in criminal case documents and indictments, but only refer to them by service number. The same shall apply to cases investigated by the Bureau. – We believe that if you are investigated or a decision is made against you, it is the police who make that decision, not individuals. It should therefore be possible to shield the identity of the individual police employee who takes measures against, for example, an environment. – Could this come into conflict with society’s need to imitate what the police do? – No, not as long as you still have an opportunity to identify yourself with a service number. So if the Bureau is to investigate a case, or if there are defenders who need to get it out, then it will be entirely possible. And you should be able to do that, because that control is important. – Complex problem Rune Pedersen, head of HSE section in the Norwegian Police Directorate, says the threat picture is complex. – In the police’s threat assessment for 2023, we see a gradual increase in violence committed by people with serious mental disorders over the past five years. We see a lower threshold for the use of violence and threats in general in society. Internationally, we see that conspiracy theories and fake news often reach government officials, and we see that social media makes it easier to show hatred and threats, says Pedersen to news. Pedersen says that police officers are affected by this to varying degrees. – But if we end up in a situation where the police do not dare to go in where others go out, then it is very serious. We are not there, but we really have to work to prevent us from ending up there. If police officers refuse to enter environments with the potential for violence, it goes beyond their social mission and we have a democratic problem, Pedersen believes. He says there is no simple answer to how to balance the safety of police officers against society’s demands for transparency around the police’s work. – We must be able to do the job we are set to do and society must be able to see what we are doing. I hope we manage to find that balance, says Pedersen.
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– I will kill you and your family – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
