The background is Expressen’s disclosure that the former Noa manager, and current regional police chief in Stockholm, Mats Löfving was reported to the police a year ago by the authority’s head of security, Ari Stenman. This after he was contacted by intelligence chief Linda Staaf, who is said to have expressed that she felt exposed after she had a relationship with Löfving.
However, the report was dismissed after two days because the chief prosecutor did not consider that there was anything in the report that would constitute a crime. Sources to Expressen say that the security chief should then have contacted national police chief Anders Thornberg, who in turn chose to inform Löfving about the matter, but not Staaf – which she also confirmed to the newspaper.
Thornberg has said that he cannot comment on individual cases but that “we have very robust processes to handle it and we have safe and good routines”.
“Unfortunately not punishable in Sweden”
Holgersson says that colleagues in the police have been appalled by the news, but that some of them also think it is good that this type of corruption, as he calls it, is on the table.
– You know it occurs, but unfortunately this type of friendship corruption is not punishable in Sweden.
He also says that those who research corruption believe that Sweden should expand the concept of corruption in the criminal code.
A tradition of protecting senior executives
Stefan Holgersson is critical both of the fact that the report was dropped so quickly without the plaintiff having been heard – as well as of the statement that Thornberg should have only informed the suspect.
– If this had been a relationship matter, the investigators would have turned in their graves if someone had acted in this way.
He believes that the action is due to a “tradition of protecting senior managers” and that they do not want this type of information to leak.
So you don’t think Anders Thornberg has acted correctly?
– No, he doesn’t act right and not afterwards either, the way he answers questions. But the way he answers is almost like a parrot.
Should Mats Löfving remain in his position?
– I am not doing research on Mats Löfving, but on how the business works and if you look at how the business works in Stockholm, there is certainly reason to bring in new blood, yes.
SVT Nyheter has been looking for Thornberg and others involved for several days.