- Norwegian Police Service
-
National Police Directorate
Politi- og lensmannsetatenCommon name Politi 
Badge of the National Police Directorate. Agency overview Employees 11,000 Legal personality Governmental: Government agency Jurisdictional structure National agency Norway General nature Operational structure Minister responsible Knut Storberget, Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police Agency executive Øystein Mæland, National Police Commissioner Parent agency Police Department National units 7 Politidistrikt (Police District)s 27 politidistrikt Website Norwegian
EnglishThe Norwegian Police Service (Norwegian: Politi- og lensmannsetaten) is the official police force in Norway which are run by the Minister of Justice and Police. The department consists of 27 regional areas and seven national special forces. The department has about 11,000 employees.
The police districts consist of police stations and district offices. Police stations are led by a chief of police who is responsible for the geographical district around his precinct. Each police regional district has its own police commissioner who is the leader of that district's police practice.
The Norwegian Prosecuting Authority is partially integrated with the police. The police officers investigate the crime, and in most cases the police attorneys working in the Prosecuting Authority in the police decide if they should take the case to court, and then argue the case. In the most serious cases, prosecution is handled directly by the Public Prosecutors, who are not part of the police.
The Norwegian Military Police and Home Guard have authority over civilians only in a few situations, and leave criminal investigation to the civilian police service. Some military and civilian agencies also have limited police authority to direct traffic and stop and search persons and vehicles (such as vehicle safety inspections, or hunting and fishing inspections). If a violation is found, the case is forwarded to the police service for investigation.
The police are also a part of the Norwegian rescue service and are responsible for leading the rescue work on accidents and disasters. This is especially an issue in the western part of Norway where there can be rather extreme weather at sea. This work is being done via two main dispatch centrals in Stavanger and Bodø. In this work, the police can request assistance from military and civilian agencies, as well as from non-governmental organizations.
Motorcycle of police in Bergen
Norwegian police do not carry firearms on a daily basis; they keep them locked down in the patrol cars, and if need arises they have to get permission by the police commissioner or someone authorized by him or her. If there is no time to contact a superior, a police officer may arm himself and anyone under his command. From 1994 to 2004 the Norwegian police fired approximately 79 shots; 48 of these were fired during the Nokas Robbery in 2004. [1]
As a part of the anti-terror work after the September 11, 2001 attacks, every regional area has its own mobile unit which is specially trained to handle these types of missions.
Contents
Equipment
- Heckler & Koch P30 semi-automatic pistol[2]
- Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun
- Diemaco C8 assault rifle
National Police Union
Mounted police patrol in OsloThe Norwegian Police Service labour union, Politiets Fellesforbund, have been full member of European Confederation of Police, EuroCOP, since the constitution in 2002. The union have 12,000 member, close to all the employees of the National Police Force, from all police units and special units, of all police ranks.
In 2009, the union was in a disagreement with the Norwegian government, the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Police and the National Police Directorate over working conditions and wage. As a result of an unresolved situation, at 27. January 2009, 12,000 police officers in Norway participated national 90-minutes strike. The union was protesting against the government’s decision to control police work hours without negotiating with their representatives, and prolonging the periode of the current Police Commissioner .[3] The Police Union called for Justice and Police Minister Knut Storberget to resign.[3] 25. March 2009 4,000 uniformed members of the Norwegian Police Service union paraded the main streets of Oslo in a protest march to the Norwegian Parliament.[4][5][6] The police union is using the term police crisis to describe the situation. The counter part is using the term illegal wage negotiation.
Police misconduct in Norway
- See main article Police misconduct in Norway
Police misconduct has become an issue of high media attention in Norway. The death of Eugene Ejike Obiora, a naturalized Norwegian of Nigerian origin in September 2006 stirred an uproar that as of September 2007[update] has caused the authorities to announce significant changes to the way charges of police brutality and other forms of police misconduct, including corruption involving the Norwegian police will be handled in the future.
Regional districts
- Oslo Police District, covering Oslo county.
- Østfold Police District, covering Østfold county.
- Follo Police District, covering the southern parts of Akershus county and northeastern Østfold.
- Romerike Police District, covering the northern parts of Akershus county.
- Hedmark Police District, covering Hedmark county.
- Gudbrandsdal Police District, covering the northern parts of Oppland, the Gudbrandsdal valley.
- Vestoppland Police District, covering the southern and western parts of Oppland county.
- Nordre Buskerud Police District, covering the northern part of Buskerud county.
- Søndre Buskerud Police District, covering the southern part of Buskerud county.
- Asker og Bærum Police District, covering Asker and Bærum municipalities.
- Vestfold Police District, covering Vestfold county.
- Telemark Police District, covering Telemark county.
- Agder Police District, covering Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder.
- Rogaland Police District, covering Rogaland except Haugalandet.
- Haugaland og Sunnhordland Police District, covering the southern parts of Hordaland and northern parts of Rogaland, around Haugesund.
- Hordaland Police District, covering Hordaland county and municipalities Solund and Gulen in Sogn og Fjordane county.
- Sogn og Fjordane Police District, covering Sogn og Fjordane county except Solund and Gulen.
- Sunnmøre Police District, covering the southern parts of Møre og Romsdal county.
- Nordmøre og Romsdal Police District, covering the northern and central parts of Møre og Romsdal county.
- Sør-Trøndelag Police District, covering Sør-Trøndelag county.
- Nord-Trøndelag Police District, covering Nord-Trøndelag county.
- Helgeland Police District, covering the southern parts of Nordland county.
- Salten Police District, covering the central parts of Nordland county.
- Midtre Hålogaland Police District, covering the western parts of Troms county and northern Nordland county, including Lofoten except Værøy and Røst.
- Troms Police District, covering Troms, except the western parts.
- Vestfinnmark Police District, covering the western parts of Finnmark county.
- Østfinnmark Police District, covering the eastern parts of Finnmark county.
National Police Units / Structure
Royal Ministry of Justice and Police
- National Police Directorate (POD)
- 27 Police districts
- Rural police districts
- Local police stations
- National Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS, Kripos)
- International Police Immigration Service (PU)
- National Police Computing and Material Service
- Norwegian Police University College
- National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim)
- Central Mobile Police Service (UP)
- The Norwegian Border Commissioner for the Norwegian-Russian Border
- 27 Police districts
- Police Security Service (PST)
- National Bodyguard Subsection
Special Units of Oslo Police Department with national responsibilities
- Contingency Platoon (Delta)
- Royal Police Escort
- Helicopter Service
Police attorney ranks
- Politimester (Chief of Police) ¹
- Politiadvokat (Police Prosecutor) ¹
- Politifullmektig (Junior Police Prosecutor) ¹
Police ranks
- Politidirektør (National Police Commissioner ) ¹
- Assisterende politidirektør (Deputy National Police Commissioner ) ¹
- Politimester (Chief of Police) ¹
- Visepolitimester (Deputy Chief of Police) ¹
- Politiinspektør (Assistant Chief of Police) ¹
- Politioverbetjent (Police Superintendent)
- Politiførstebetjent (Police Chief Inspector)
- Politibetjent 3 (Police Inspector)
- Politibetjent 2 (Police Sergeant)
- Politibetjent 1 (Police Constable)
¹ Attorney.
Killed in Service
A total of 23 police officers have been killed or died in service since World War II.
Name Age Date Place Circumstances Trond Berntsen 51 22 July 2011 Utøya Shot and killed in the 2011 Norway attacks Olav Kildal 49 21 April 2010 Stabbed during apprehension of psychiatric patient Børge Ivarsen 48 4 March 2010 Grimstad Hit by car he was trying to stop Gunnar Angeltveit 56 10 April 2008 Stavanger Traffic accident Arne Sigve Klungeland 53 5 April 2004 Stavanger Shot and Killed during the NOKAS robbery Tore Johan Vidnes 2004 Rogaland Traffic accident Trond Kristian Kirkeby 11 March 1998 Austbø Shot and Killed Sigurd Vang 11 March 1998 Austbø Shot and Killed Kim Versiljbergen 1996 Oslo Traffic Accident Roy Arne Steen 27 25 March 1991 Drammen Explosive Åse Utne Nygaard 30 January 1991 Oslo Horse accident Arne Andreas Mæland 28 March 1990 Stavanger Shot And Killed Magne Knarrum 1984 Sandnes Traffic Accident Hakon Ivar Lyby 1978 Østfold Traffic Accident Rolf S. Svalastog Olsen 1976 Oslo Traffic Accident Sverre Angell Weinholdt 1974 Oslo Shot And Killed Torkjel Tjørholm 24 September 1974 Jæren Shot And Killed Ole Mogstad 1971 Trondheim Died while trying to save a person from drowning Jarle Pettersen 27 November 1967 Kristiansund Shot And Killed Arnfinn Næss 1966 Rolvsøy Died during a fire Kåre Nilsen 49 1963 Ballangen Killed by intoxicated person during apprehension Magne Ubostad 40 1959 Farsund Killed during a fight with an arrested person Aage Bentzen 39 31 August 1957 Ålesund Stabbed to death Magne Kjølberg 1957 Oslo Traffic accident References
- ^ Justis og politidepartementets offisielle tall for bevæpning og skudd avfyrt av politiet
- ^ Politet legger vekk revolveren (Norwegian)
- ^ a b http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/norwegian-police-stage-90-minute-strike_100148822.html
- ^ http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/news/article_1456276.php/Norwegian_police_union_to_strike_
- ^ http://www.norwaypost.no/content/view/21556/1/
- ^ http://www.dagbladet.no/2009/04/02/nyheter/innenriks/oslo/politiaksjon/arne_johannessen/5579262/ "Reminding of a State Coup"
- ^ "Ti politimenn drept siden krigen" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 2010-03-04. http://www.dagbladet.no/2010/03/04/nyheter/innenriks/drap/politiet/10698875/. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
- ^ "Politiet.org" (in Norwegian). http://www.politiet.org/. Retrieved 2010-04-22.
External links
- The Police in Norway, brochure by the Norwegian National Police Directorate (POD, June 2010).
- The OSCE Policing OnLine Information System (POLIS) - Country profile: Norway
- Police and prosecution - StatRes, Statistics Norway.
- Official web site of the police labour union, Politiets Fellesforbund
Categories:- National law enforcement agencies of Norway
- Law enforcement in Norway
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