To combat gang crime in Denmark, border controls, facial recognition and cooperation with Sweden are being discussed.
Border controls have already been tightened, but not everyone thinks it is enough.
– We need a Nordic task force, says criminologist David Sausdal.
Today, among others, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the country’s national police chief Thorkild Fogde and Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard (S) sat in a crisis meeting. This is to arrive at solutions to the growing problem of Swedes being recruited by Danish gang criminals to commit crimes.
What concrete measures were discussed at today’s meeting is not official. But according to the news agency Ritzau, they have discussed what tools the police need to stop the growing crime in the country.
“No effective action”
Danish police in Sweden and Swedish police in Denmark is a measure that has been taken before. In addition, Denmark has tightened border control towards Sweden.
– I think that is a rather bad idea, says criminologist David Sausdal.
– Research shows that border controls are not an effective measure if you want to stop cross-border crime. Those who have crossed the border into Denmark often have no convictions on them, and the police are not aware of them. If border control is to work, you have to know that that person is a criminal, so we deny him access, but if the person is not, then you cannot do that.
In Denmark, people point the finger and say it’s a Swedish problem. Which Sausdal partly agrees with, but thinks it’s a Nordic problem now.
– You should develop cooperation with Sweden, not just do it randomly from time to time, case by case. We need a Nordic task force, he says.
“The police want it – it’s a problem”
Sausdal believes that having a Danish police officer in Sweden and vice versa is not enough.
– It is a start that you have contact and daily cooperation, but it is not enough. Now that you have a Scandinavian crisis, it is smart to have systematic and structural cooperation.
– What is put forward by Danish politicians feels a bit random and underdeveloped.
In Denmark, they are also debating whether to introduce facial recognition.
– The police want it and that is a problem. We should not give the police what they want, we should give them what is effective and which is not problematic and offensive.