Jale Poljarevius is head of intelligence at police region Mitt, which includes violence-affected Uppsala. He says that the police cannot knock on doors and give details about possible threatening images against, for example, neighbors.
– Pointing out people and telling them that “this and that individual is exposed to so-and-so” or that “that person will commit so-and-so” is not possible – it is pure breach of confidentiality, he says.
On the other hand, he believes that the police on site can answer questions in general, such as that they work with security measures and that they have a higher visibility to prevent possible violent crimes.
Police presence at certain threatened addresses
After SVT’s revelation that there is a list in the Stockholm area of approximately 150 addresses where the police expect acts of violence to take place, the police commented on the information during a press conference on Friday. Mattias Andersson, head of the Stockholm police region, says that they make round-the-clock assessments of information that comes in and based on that they decide whether to deploy police officers.
– It’s the threat assessment there and then, and the probability that it will happen, he says.
The number of addresses against which there is a threat image changes constantly, says Mattias Andersson.
– It’s not just residential addresses. It can be company addresses and people who are involved in various ways.
In some cases, the police choose to inform people that they have a threatening image against them. It depends on how secure the information is, what intelligence they have and whether there is an ongoing preliminary investigation.
Concerned citizens get in touch
Jale Poljarevius believes that there has been an increase in citizens who come forward and are worried. It is neighbors, parents and staff at schools where relatives of criminals are known to be.
– Citizens are coming forward and are very, very concerned that these people are going to use deadly force against them as well. There are a lot of people who feel insecure and worried.