“The authority has carried out a number of measures in the cases that have been the subject of the media’s scrutiny. For reasons of integrity or for reasons of confidentiality, we cannot report what these measures were. It is therefore important that an external investigator can carry out a complete review of the handling” , says Thornberg according to the police’s website.
The special investigator is Runar Viksten. His task will be to carry out “a complete review of the Police Authority’s actions in relation to current rules and procedures”.
“In a serious global situation, it is important that we in the police can focus on our mission to maintain order and security in the country,” says Anders Thornberg.
Will report this spring
According to the police, Viksten is “free to submit proposals for measures”. The investigator must have access to all information that is relevant to the assignment. The work will begin shortly and Viksten will report his conclusions in the spring, no later than April 28.
Any crimes discovered during the review must be reported immediately.
Runar Viksten has previously worked as a judge in the Stockholm District Court and chairman of the Defense Intelligence Tribunal. He also has a background as a lieutenant colonel in the Swedish Armed Forces.
TT has sought a comment via the police’s national media center but they declined. TT is also looking for Runar Viksten.
Lövfing reported to the police
The background is a total of three police reports against Mats Löfving, regional police chief in Stockholm and deputy national police chief. He was reported to the police last year for, among other things, gross breach of peace, unlawful persecution and molestation, which Expressen revealed this week. Löfving has also been reported for assault.
The designated victim was Linda Staaf, head of intelligence for the police’s national operations department, Noa. Staaf has not filed a report herself and does not believe that she has been the victim of a crime either.
In none of the cases have prosecutors chosen to go ahead and initiate a preliminary investigation.
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Bengt Åsbäck – who earlier this year dismissed a police report regarding gross misconduct in connection with Staaf’s employment – has said that he will go through the material again.
The Green Party’s Bassem Nasr submitted a request on Friday for Anders Thornberg to come to the justice committee to answer questions. The answer to whether he will really be called may come at a meeting of the committee on Tuesday.