Recently, news has written about several police officers who have lost their security clearance, and thus the opportunity to do the job they were assigned to do. Now more and more employees in the police are seeking legal assistance in matters concerning security clearance. That’s what Deputy Chairman Ørjan Hjortland of the Police Federation (PF) says. The common denominator for those who ask for help is that they have connections to countries other than Norway. The biggest increase is in cases concerning reclamation, says Hjortland. – They have often been security-cleared for many years, and are now experiencing the loss of their clearance, he says. Union secretary Kari Anne Kristiansen also comes out strongly against the practice. – The problem is not the security law itself. The problem is the application of the regulations. Far too many members experience an absence of individual assessment, insufficient basis for decision-making and long processing times. Risk of hidden figures news has been in contact with several police officers with connections to Iran who now experience being disregarded in their everyday work. The reason they have been given when they have lost their clearance is that they are at risk of being exposed to pressure from Iran. Xander Radpey is among those who experienced having his security clearance revoked. The reason was his connection to Iran. Photo: Rune Hansen / news PF has been contacted by at least 25 employees in the police who can be linked to another country – and who are not trusted. A significant proportion has connections to Iran. – We now see that a larger proportion of members contact us for help. There is also a risk of dark figures here, says Hjortland. – Demanding subject area It is the Civil Clearance Authority (SKM) which since 2018 has been responsible for the security clearance of employees in the police. After they took over, several of PF’s members who previously had clearance lost it. Director of SKM, Gudmund Gjølstad, says they process all cases individually and in line with the regulations. – SKM works to make the right decisions, in a demanding subject area that is not static. It must focus on both threats and vulnerabilities, which means that an assessment can change over time. – A clearance is not an accrued right. At the same time, it is good for society and the security work that there are very few who are not reported today, he says. NSM: – Not tightened SKM works according to guidelines from the National Security Authority (NSM), which is also the appeals body. Section manager Iselin Ryeng-Lande writes that she understands that it can be experienced as difficult and burdensome to lose clearance. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB news has asked NSM whether they have changed their practice when police officers experience losing their security clearance due to their connection to Iran. Section chief Iselin Ryeng-Lande replies: – We have not tightened the number of security clearances with connections to Iran. On the contrary, each case is dealt with concretely and individually, she writes to news. She writes that there can be several reasons why a person experiences rejection. It can be circumstances of a person or their close relatives, but also “objective circumstances” and the threat situation, which has changed since the last clearance was given, according to Ryeng-Lande. – As a result, someone who has had clearance in the past can sometimes experience being refused when they have to be cleared again. NSM has not responded directly to whether they have adjusted the guidelines they work according to in connection matters in general. – Conditions in society or in the world change over time, and changes that have security implications must also be taken into account in these assessments. Ryeng-Lande believes that the factual basis on which they process the cases is comprehensive and good. She says that they obtain information from the applicant himself, other sources and threat information from PST and the E-service. – We see that it can be difficult for people outside the clearance institute to have an insight into the broad source base, all the while some of the information will be classified or exempt from public access for other reasons. – Terribly unfortunate According to the Police Federation (PF), it is not only the rejections that characterize their members. The association says that several people they have spoken to do not get full insight into their cases or a good explanation as to why they have been refused – apart from the fact that they are linked to another country. Deputy leader Ørjan Hjortland in the Police Federation says crucial skills are put on hold in clearance and appeal processes. Photo: Police Union Many of their members also say that they sit for years in the complaint queue, says Hjortland. Among other things, news has told about “Elvin”, who has been waiting for a year and a half for an answer in his complaint – and who was recently told to wait for up to nine more months. – People have their careers and lives put on hold, and are locked in the system. It’s terribly unfortunate. In November, PF set up a separate working group that only works with security clearances. – Decisive competence will be put on hold and inactive. In the meantime, the police district cannot recruit new expertise, because the case is pending, he says. Longer time than necessary The director of SKM says that they have tried to inform PF about why they cannot give more details to those who lose their security clearance. – We will try to look at how we can become even clearer and better at communicating this, as we learn that our practice is in line with the current regulations, says Gjølstad. Director Gudmund Gjølstad of SKM says that the security work must orientate itself towards threats and vulnerabilities, and that a clearance assessment can therefore change over time. Photo: Rune Hansen / news He says that in a number of cases there are circumstances with the individual that contribute to longer processing times than necessary. Including the time the person, the lawyer or the employee organization spends in the appeals process. – At the same time, we continuously work to reduce the processing time where we are able to do so, both in ordinary cases and in appeals cases. Both SKM and NSM have been clear that they are not satisfied with the processing times for complaints. – We are now making a number of administrative changes which we believe will give significantly better results, says Ryeng-Lande. NSM has now invited PF to a meeting in the New Year. – It is to gain good knowledge of the situation PF’s members are in. It is important for us to gain good knowledge of how the clearance institute works and how specific people experience having a case to be processed.
ttn-69
NSM says they have not changed their practice. But more people in the police ask for help. – news Documentary
