NFC’s processing times have for several years been singled out as a brake block in serious crime investigations, and at the beginning of 2021 a special event was initiated to speed up the work.
The internal audit within the Police Authority has reviewed how the forensic investigations are handled, and has come to several shortcomings, the police write in a press release.
The problem: Double responsibility
The internal audit states that the shortcomings are mainly related to the management structure, where both the head of the National Operative Department, Johan Olsson, and the NFC’s head, Helena Trolläng, are responsible for the forensic activities.
“These dual leadership roles are deemed to affect the conditions for handling control signals, planning and following up the forensic activities,” the police write.
According to the review, there is also a lack of an overall target image, common roadmap and national priorities.
The plan: The right priorities
“Lack of clear requirements from the process owner for investigation and prosecution is judged by the internal audit to have resulted in operations at NFC taking their starting point from their own capacity more than from the needs of the investigation operations,” the police write.
National Police Chief Anders Thornberg has decided on an action plan to shorten processing times, according to the press release, including common priorities and a united focus on conducting the right forensic investigations at the right time.
In addition, an organizational change is planned at NFC, which is largely about a new section focusing on process and development.