– When there is a grouping that together does something wrong, then as a group they are all put on the dock. It should also have been done here, he says. Dietrichson is the head of the Advocacy Group in the Swedish Advocacy Association. He believes the Bureau should do the same with police officers as when someone who is not a police officer does something wrong. This is what the lawyer says after the police officer who deleted the video decided on a fine of NOK 12,000. He believes the case should also have been brought before a judge. – It is not certain that the judge had assumed the same as the Bureau, namely that the policeman was not aware of the law in the area, says Dietrichson. Here, Kevin Simensen is subjected to violence by the police. Threatens trust in the police In addition, Dietrichson believes that the fact that none of the colleagues broke in to stop the violence, deleted evidence afterwards and wrote reports that are suitable for discrediting the whole thing is very serious for trust in the police. – It is necessary for the rule of law to preserve its legitimacy that police colleagues who see colleagues doing something crazy report it. It is absolutely crucial, says the lawyer. He says each of us has no other protection than the protection the police give us. – This is suitable for loosening the very glue that holds our society together. This is very serious, says Dietrichson. news has not been able to get a comment from the Bureau. Marius Oscar Dietrichson believes that police officers must report if they see a colleague doing something wrong. Photo: Advokatforeningen To research own use of power The Police Academy will now research how the police use their power. They do so because several people have expressed that the surveillance video from Kongsberg is not an isolated case. Police director Benedicte Bjørnland wants to refute that. – We want to remove that uncertainty, and this must be done through knowledge and research, she says in a press release. The research will shed light on topics related to disproportionate use of force, police practice related to the duty to report and the duty to intervene if a colleague uses too much force. Bjørnland says the police have a significant responsibility as society’s civil power apparatus. – A fundamental principle for our service performance is that all exercise of power must be necessary, proportionate and justifiable, she says. Police director Benedicte Bjørnland has now asked the Norwegian Police Academy to research the use of force in the police. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten This is the Kongsberg case On the night of Sunday 30 October, Kevin Simensen, Marius Stormo and Kristian Pablo Teigen were out on the town in Kongsberg. They were thrown out by a bouncer at the nightclub, who believed Simensen had made threats against him. On the way home, they met a police patrol at Esso, and it all escalated from there. Simensen was put on the ground, punched several times in the face and also beaten with a baton by a police officer, as shown on the surveillance video. Teigen was also subjected to baton blows, while Stormo was sprayed with pepper spray. Another police officer deleted a video Stormo took while Simensen was lying on the ground. The officer who deleted the video was investigated by the Bureau, and on Thursday a fine of NOK 12,000 was imposed – a punishment Stormo believes is too lenient. – It sends a signal to other police officers that it is not so dangerous to delete video material, he says. Marius Stormo points out that the fine of NOK 12,000 is on the same level as driving too fast. Photo: Eirik Sørenmo Påsche / news
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Lawyer Marius Oscar Dietrichson reacts to the handling of police violence in Kongsberg – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
