Swedish Police Service

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The Swedish National Police Board
Rikspolisstyrelsen
Common name Polisen
Abbreviation SNPB
Polisen logo.svg
Coat of arms and wordmark of Polisen
Agency overview
Employees 28,500[1]
Annual budget 20.6 billion SEK[2]
Legal personality Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
National agency Sweden
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters Stockholm
Sworn members 20,000[3]
Unsworn members 8,500[4]
Minister responsible Beatrice Ask, Minister of Justice
Agency executive Bengt Svenson[5], National Police Commissioner
Parent agency Ministry of Justice
Child agencies
Departments
Website
http://www.polisen.se/en/Languages/Startpage/

The Swedish Police Service (Swedish: Polisen, or Polismyndigheten) is a collection of Government agencies concerned with police matters in Sweden. The Swedish Police Service consists of 28,500 employees[6] of which 39 percent are women. The staff consists of 20,000 police officers[7] of which 25 percent are women and 8,500 civilian staff of which 70 percent are women. Almost all active duty police officers are members of the Swedish Police Union (Polisförbundet).[8][dead link]

The Swedish Police Service consists of the Swedish National Police Board and 21 county police authorities.[9]

Contents

The Swedish National Police Board [edit]

The Swedish National Police Board (Rikspolisstyrelsen) is the central administrative and supervisory authority of the police service. It is also the supervisory authority of the National Laboratory of Forensic Science. The SNPB is headed by the National Police Commissioner (Rikspolischefen) who is appointed by the government. The current National Police Commissioner is Bengt Svenson. Among other things, the SNPB is responsible for the development of new working methods and technological and administrative support. It is also—through the National Police Academy—responsible for the training of police officers. It is also the principal agency for the Swedish National Laboratory of Forensic Science (SKL).

The National Police Board also consists of two national departments:

The National Bureau of Investigation, Rikskriminalpolisen (RKP)

The Swedish National Bureau of Investigation's mission is fighting serious organised crime, being the point of contact for international police cooperation and crisis management. Its responsibilities are to lead and coordinate resources such as criminal intelligence, border control issues and witness protection, to provide special expertise and conduct operational police work, both on its own and assisting local police authorities. It is organised in five divisions: The Chief of staff's office, the Central border control division, the International police cooperation division, the Criminal intelligence and investigation division and the Special operations division (e.g. the National Task Force and the Police Helicopter Service).

The Swedish Security Service, Säkerhetspolisen (SÄPO)

The Security Service's mission is to prevent and detect offences against Swedish national security, fight terrorism and protect the central Government. It works in counter-espionage, counter-terrorism, protection of the Swedish constitution, protective security and dignitary protection.

County Police Authorities [edit]

In each of the 21 Counties of Sweden there is a County Police Authority, which is headed by a County Police Commissioner. There is also a County Police Board, consisting of local politicians and the commissioner. The Commissioners and the members of the board are all appointed by the Government of Sweden. The County Police Authorities report to the National Police Board which in turn report to the Ministry of Justice.

Crisis management [edit]

The police have special units that are used in more difficult situations or serious security threats, such as the Piketen emergency response teams (SWAT) in the three largest cities and the paramilitary National Task Force (Swedish: Nationella insatsstyrkan).

Equipment [edit]

Aircraft [edit]

Swedish police helicopter (Eurocopter EC135 P2).

The Swedish police operate a number of helicopters as support units. Tasked mainly with observation and search duties while being stationed in a number of locations in Sweden (Stockholm, Gothenburg, Östersund and Boden). The type used at present is the Eurocopter EC-135.

Ground vehicles [edit]

For most of the 20th century, Swedish police vehicles were painted black and white. In 1990, Swedish police cars changed to a blue and fluorescent yellow livery (Battenburg markings), from a white and blue one. Most Swedish police cars are either Volvos or Saabs, with the same livery all over Sweden.

Personal equipment [edit]

Almost all officers wear a waistbelt which carries a service pistol (the official side arms for the Swedish police are the SIG Sauer P226, P228, and P239), extra magazine, expandable baton, handcuffs, Sepura radio, Mobile/Smart phone mobile phone, pepper spray, keys and gloves. They also have a duffel bag which has additional equipment including masks 90 and vest and different kinds of body protection as well as the old school baton. Many police officers also carry a RAKEL radio communication device. All police officers must carry identification.

Radio communications [edit]

Swedish police uses digital radio system, RAKEL (RadioKommunikation för Effektiv Ledning,"Radio Communication for Effective Command and Control"). An encrypted TETRA-system. It is possible to communicate with Fire Departments and Medical Teams. All units are carrying a 7 figure series where the first digit indicates type of organisation, 1 for police, 2 for Fire Department, 3 for Ambulances. In normal use units are called with the following sig figures in pairs, 41-91-00. The last two indicates what type of unit where 00 indicates some kind of command function, normally a Sergeant.

Rakel is covering 99,84 % of Swedish citizens and 95 % of the country, mountain areas excepted.

Gallery [edit]

  • 1939 Volvo PV56 Swedish police car.

  • 1974 Plymouth Valiant Swedish police car in the period black and white paint.

  • Swedish police Volvo 244 in the middle 1980s to early 1990s paint.

  • Swedish police car (Volvo V70) in current livery.

  • Swedish riot police vehicle

  • Swedish MC-police.

  • Riot police charge during the Gothenburg riots in 2001.

  • Current uniform of the riot police.

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Polisen som arbetsplats - Om Polisen - www.polisen.se". 
  2. ^ "Budget för rättsväsendet 2011". 
  3. ^ "Polisen som arbetsplats - Om Polisen - www.polisen.se". 
  4. ^ "Polisen som arbetsplats - Om Polisen - www.polisen.se". 
  5. ^ "Rikspolischef - Pressrum - www.polisen.se". 
  6. ^ "Polisen som arbetsplats - Om Polisen - www.polisen.se". 
  7. ^ "Polisen som arbetsplats - Om Polisen - www.polisen.se". 
  8. ^ "Polisförbundet in English". Polisförbundet. 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011. 
  9. ^ "Organisation - Om Polisen - www.polisen.se". 

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Police in Sweden
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