Sweden: police & security agencies
01 January 1991
Sweden: police & security agencies
bacdoc July=1995
The information in this country file was first published in the
handbook "Statewatching the new Europe" (November 1993). It was
compiled by Peter Klerks and extracted from a longer report which
is available from: The Domestic Security Research Foundation, PO
Box 11178, 1001 GD, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Sweden
449,964km², 8,564,317 inhabitants
Long-form name: Kingdom of Sweden
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Stockholm
Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (lan, singular and plural)
Constitution: 1 January 1975
Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Riksdag)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Högsta Domstolen). In the Swedish
judicial system, the District Courts play the dominant role. In
principle there are no limitations on their jurisdiction
regarding the types of cases they can deal with.
I. POLICE STRUCTURES & forces
Total no. of police officers (Semerak 1989 estimate) 18,400 +
some 6,000 administrative personnel. Women in the police: at
present, 11.1% of the Swedish police force are women, with very
few women in the higher ranks. No. of police officers per 100,000
inhabitants: 214 (EC av. 338).
In Sweden the Ministry of Justice has formal responsibility for
the Rikspolis (Swedish police), but in fact the national police
are administered by the Rikspolisstyrelsen (RPS), the National
Police Board (Archer 1985; Swedish NCB 1990). This body consists
of a National Police Commissioner, his deputy and eight other
members, six of whom are members of parliament and two who
represent police personnel. The Commissioner is appointed for a
renewable six-year period by the government and during their term
of office are not subject to control by the Minister of Justice.
The operational tasks of the RPS are limited to investigations
into political security investigations and those crimes which
because of their severity have to dealt with on a national level
(terrorism, nation-wide and international crime), as well as
supervision of the nation's traffic and air and sea patrols. The
RPS does however give directives and operate in connection with:
crimes against national security; safety and protection measures
in connection with state visits and similar events;
investigations of drug trafficking, economic crimes and other
major crimes of a nation-wide character or with international
connections; the systematic collection of information regarding
persons sentenced to more than four years' imprisonment, and the
search for and arrest of escaped criminals; intelligence work
designed to assist police investigations.
The regional level of police organisation in undertaken by
24 county administrations. The County Police Commissioners
coordinate and supervise police activities. At the local level
Sweden is divided into 118 police districts, mostly with 20-50
personnel. The local Police Board is made up of the local Police
Commissioner and six to eight other members appointed by the
county council. It has no influence on the budget, so its powers
are limited.
Special units
According to Thompson (1986:115-6) the Stockholm police has a
national hostage rescue unit about 200 strong. This Omradespolis
(Intervention police) also serves as riot police.
Weaponry and special equipment
All uniformed police personnel carry sidearms. Special weaponry
is available for specific occasions.
Arrests and the treatment of detainees
Persons disturbing the public order or considered dangerous may
be held for six hours without charge. Criminal suspects may be
held for 12 hours maximum without formal charges. In particularly
serious cases, the time between arrest and the first court
hearing may be extended to four days.
II. INTERNA