Law enforcement in Finland

Law enforcement in Finland falls under the jurisdiction of the Finnish Police, a national police agency. [ [http://www.police.fi/poliisi/home.nsf/www/police Finnish Police official in English.] Retrieved 5 Sep 2007] Moreover, the Finnish Police includes three national agencies. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) ( _fi. Keskusrikospoliisi, KRP) is a national unit tasked with "crime prevention and provision of expert services." [ [http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/krp/home.nsf/pages/indexeng KRP official in English] Retrieved 14 May 2007] The Finnish Security Police "specializes in the prevention of security threats of the State." [ [http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/supo/home.nsf/pages/indexeng Supo official in English] Retrieved 5 Sep 2007] The third the National Traffic Police.

Limited law enforcement authority is also given for specific reasons. In border zones, Finnish Border Guard and Finnish Customs have police authority. Municipal parking inspectors, train conductors and ticket inspectors have limited police powers. The military has very limited police powers, mainly for internal investigation of petty infractions and guarding military facilities. The Ministry of the Interior and a provincial offices may give police powers for a specific task and to the degree necessary.

National police agencies

National Bureau of Investigation, which is responsible for major criminal investigations. (Finnish: Keskusrikospoliisi, KRP)

Security Police, responsible for national security and the investigation of related crimes. (Finnish: Suojelupoliisi, a.k.a. SuPo literally: Protection Police)

National Traffic Police, a highway patrol organization responsible for traffic safety, doubling as a national police reserve which can also be called as reinforcements for general law enforcement tasks. (Finnish: Liikkuva poliisi literally: Mobile police)

Other nationally active formations

The SWAT team Karhuryhmä is part of the Helsinki local police department. It is deployed only on request by a local police agency and when deployed, it is subordinated to local police command.

In June 2008, the Finnish police established a Police Incident Response Team tasked with improving the prevention, detection and management of serious information security incidents. [cite journal
title = Finnish police sets up IRT
journal = blog.anta.net
date = 2008-06-23
url = http://blog.anta.net/2008/06/23/finnish-police-sets-up-irt/
issn = 1797-1993
accessdate = 2008-06-23 ]

Local policing

Police Departments The function of each district police department is to maintain general law and order, prevent crime, investigate crime and other events that threaten public order and safety, to carry out traffic control and surveillance and promote traffic safety, and perform all other duties prescribed by law or otherwise assigned to the police in their area. Local police also processes licenses and permits such as driving licenses, gun licenses, national ID cards and passports. Local police is must also be notified when organizing public events that may significantly influence local public security and traffic.

There are 90 district police departments in Finland, with 280 service points. Alarm services are operated by emergency response centres maintained by the state.

Other agencies

*Customs

*Border Guard

also perform some law enforcement functions, mainly concerned with goods (Customs) and persons (Border Guard) crossing Finland's borders.

Public Order Act

On October 1, 2003, the Public Order Act went into effect, standardizing public ordinances throughout the country. [ [http://www.intermin.fi/intermin/hankkeet/jarjestyslaki/home.nsf/pages/indexeng Public Order Act] Retrieved 19 May 2007]

Equipment

* Glock 17
* Heckler & Koch MP5
* Taser X26

ee also

* Karhuryhmä

Notes