The Norwegian police have observed a negative change in the image of threats related to criminal networks. As part of these activities, cooperation between the Norwegian and Swedish police is being strengthened.
– Today I will meet with Police Chief Anders Thornberg and several public entities to discuss issues related to preventing and combating organized crime. Joint efforts are important so that we can reverse this crime trend, says Police Director Benedicte Bjørnland.
Negative development over time
Organized crime poses a serious crime challenge in society. Over time, the police have observed unfavorable developments in the recruitment of children and young people into criminal networks.
– The situation is serious and we see a negative evolution of the threat picture related to criminal networks in Norway. Among other things, children and adolescents are recruited into criminal environments where internal conflicts lead to serious incidents of violence in public spaces, explains Bjørnland.
This contributes to the development of a situation in which criminal networks pose a threat to peace, public order and the general security of society.
– Several of these criminal networks have links to Sweden. This could include drug imports, access to weapons or Swedish gang criminals carrying out brutal missions in Norway, Bjørnland continues.
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Strengthens cooperation
The police have long made efforts to combat organized crime and gangs in Norway. There is already international police cooperation under the auspices of Europol and this is currently being strengthened between the Norwegian and Swedish police.
– We agree to strengthen cooperation against organized criminal networks. This is mainly about more binding intelligence cooperation, and joint preventive efforts against criminal actors will be crucial, explains Bjørnland.
Criminal networks are not limited by national borders and it is important that the police share information about the originators and key entities conducting criminal activities in different countries.
– Serious organized crime is cross-border. Therefore, it is important to strengthen our long-term and good cooperation. This is about ensuring security in both of our countries, and this can only be achieved through cooperation, says police chief Anders Thornberg.
Joint preventive actions
Every year, the police prepare an open threat assessment to share observations and knowledge about the most important criminal challenges facing society.
– Shared knowledge about crime developments is important to facilitate joint prevention efforts. Organized crime is again an important factor driving various areas of crime. We need to see challenges as a whole to be able to use society's collective resources as effectively and accurately as possible, says Bjørnland.
An important investment in policing is therefore to work more preventively, alone and together with others:
– The development of crime in Norway is complex and cannot be solved by single entities. These are challenges that society must meet together. These are our young people and our common security, so we must work together to reverse this trend and prevent young people from being recruited into criminal circles, Bjørnland concludes.
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Source: politiet
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