. New security measures required following murder at NAV. Both the management and the trade union believe that after Monday's tragic attack, changes must be made to the institution's security measures.
The knife attack, which resulted in the death of one person and another in the hospital, left deep wounds. NAV Vestland chief Anne Kverneland Bogsnes was deeply moved on Monday afternoon and described the incident as "tragic".
"NAV should be a safe place to work and a safe place for those who come to us," Kvernland said at a press conference for the municipality of Bergen.
Anne Kverneland Bogsnes emphasizes that NAV must be favorable to its consumers. Nevertheless, she is one of the few people who thinks office security should be rethought now.
- NAV has an important task in society and we want to admit people without strict security controls. We need to re-examine whether more measures should be taken in our offices to be even better protected against the terrible incidents that took place on 20.09/XNUMX. Kverland said.
Waiting for action
NAV receives support from Trond Finstad, leader of the trade union professional section. He is responsible for the organization of employees at NAV and reacts with regret to the murder.
- It is a very sad and tragic event. Our thoughts, first and foremost, are directed to all those affected, as well as to their relatives and loved ones, says Finstad on TV 2.
The last time an NAV worker was assaulted with a fatal outcome was in 2013 in Oslo. FriFagbevegelse conducted a review in 2018 which found that the number of threats against NAV employees has increased by 22 percent since the murder. 70 percent of the reported cases were dismissed.
After Monday's tragic attack, the union believes it's time to change.
- I expect NAV will now have a much greater emphasis on security measures, says Finstad.
Everyday heroes
Data from NAV show that this year alone, 1042 threats have been reported against workers across the country. Finstad points out that employees are exposed to difficult situations on a daily basis. He believes that security should be increased.
– Employees are everyday heroes. They help many people, who have a hard time daily. They are at risk every day and deserve to feel safe at work. We have been working with security at NAV in recent years, but we have not gone far enough with this work. Now a new assessment needs to be made as to whether these security measures are good enough, says Finstad.
The union leader makes it clear that he does not know the specific security measures at NAV offices. However, he believes that it is necessary to introduce a notification system as soon as possible.
- To prevent violence and threats, it is important that employees have a deviation reporting system in place so that incidents that occur at NAV are dealt with. Violence and threats must never become part of everyday office life, concludes Finstad.
Difficult balance
Former Prime Minister Erna Solberg is one of the few people who react regretfully to the murder. He believes that the case illustrates how vulnerable public workers are in the social service.
- It is extremely sad and reminds that people who are on the front lines of our social services, whether in psychiatry or NAV, where unbalanced and difficult people are found, are among the most vulnerable to threats and violence - says the Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
Solberg points out that it is important to find the right balance in meeting society with people in need.
"We need to take a look at the NAV office, but we know that if you accept people with openness and conversation, the aggression will be less," says Solberg.
NAV director Hans Christian Holte is shocked by the attack and says the agency is working systematically with security.
- We had a tragic murder at NAV Grorud in 2013 and a lot of security work has been done since then. Assessments are ongoing on how best to take care of this. We are an offer for people in need, but it will not be at the expense of the safety of NAV employees, says director Hans Christian Hol.
According to research conducted by NAV, this risk has been much lower in recent years.
"But then this tragic accident happens that shouldn't have happened," says Holte. The director of NAV says that he does not want to go into details about security measures, precisely for the sake of employees.
- Significant resources have been introduced that are used for visits by people in need. Much has been done to ensure a safe environment in the office, says Holte.
Read our next article: Facts about the 2021 Norwegian murders.
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