Nordland Police | Establishment of a police office

The government has reopened nine police stations across the country. One of these is in Salangen. The Minister of Justice says that the police offices were set up in dialogue and understanding with the police, but in six of the places the police do not want new ones – including Salangin.

Center Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedom wants police presence across the country, although creating new service sites runs counter to the professional advice of many police chiefs. NRK writes.

The new offices will be established in the following locations:

(Engerdal in Inlandt).
(Meraker in Trondelag).
Stegen in Nordland.
Sandefjord in Vestfold and Telemark
He will argue in Vicken
Salangen in Tromsø
Oslo
Whales in the cove
Beach in Moree and Romsdal

Only in Oslo, in Havaler and in Stranda did the police make sure that new offices would be set up. Neither Chief of Police Heidi Klokstad in Nordland nor Astrid Nielsen in Troms want new offices in Stegen and Seuvegen respectively.

Reopening police offices was a major election promise from the Center Party in the 2021 election campaign. On Hurdahl’s programme, it was decided to reopen 20 offices. In January, the government provided a list of nine offices that will reopen this year.

Against professional police advice

NRK has spoken to police at the nine locations where it is already known an office will be opened. And in six of the places, the police say they do not want a new office, or that it is contrary to the police’s career advice.

Justice Minister Emily Inger Mill (SP) insists to NRK they have listened to both the police and municipalities.

– Our professional advice to the police is that we need more people, not more service sites, police chief Astrid Nielsen in the Troms police district tells NRK.

In Nordland Police District, Stegen’s office will be restored. To NRK, Chief of Police Heidi Klokstad previously said that there are areas in Nordland where the need for resources is greater than in Stegen.

We face more crime in the digital space now than ever before. We should have been more present there. It is not certain that five new jobs in Stegen will help in this field, the police chief told the state channel in mid-August.

On the other hand, the leader of the Center Party, Trygve Slagsvold Vedom, believes that it is not only the police chiefs and the police command who should control where the duty stations are located.

– We sent letters to the municipalities and listened to their opinions in the local communities. Not only should the police chiefs or the Norwegian Police Directorate decide everything, you should also listen to the locals, Widum tells NRK, who thinks the right decision is to take back all nine offices.