There is a crisis within the top police management over how to handle the investigation into former regional police chief Mats Löfving.
The police management has been reported for work environment violations and will now be reviewed by the Work Environment Authority. The investigation, which was supposed to increase trust in the police, may have instead contributed to reducing it.
In other words, the criticism has been harsh, partly against the national police chief Anders Thornberg, partly against the Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M), who was held accountable by TV4 Nyheternas Ann Tiberg on Tuesday evening.
“Examination of multiple questions”
– I think it is very important that this is tested in the way it is intended. When there has been a death, an authority must report it themselves. That is how it is in this case, and then there will also be an examination of several of the questions raised, says Gunnar Strömmer.
The Minister of Justice says that he finds it worrying that the issue takes focus away from the police’s core mission; to fight crime.
– I think most people find this situation worrying. The question is how to handle it, I think it is important to be able to answer questions, that legitimate questions also receive a formal examination as now by the Work Environment Authority.
Confidence in Thornberg
Despite massive criticism, Strömmer has continued trust in national police chief Anders Thornberg.
– My answer is always the same. When it comes to heads of authorities, you either have trust or you don’t. The trust that applies until you announce otherwise, says the Minister of Justice.
The police chief, Mats Löfving, was not squeamish when he appointed Linda Staaf as head of intelligence at the National Operative Department (Noa). In four decisions that Löfving made, the investigator Runar Viksten assesses that he was tough: When Linda Staaf was assigned a service weapon. When Löfving gave her a pay rise. When he approved her sideline as a writer. When Linda Staaf’s chief appointment was extended by Löfving. Viksten considers all the decisions to be correct in substance, but that they should not have been made by Löfving, because of differences. Löfving and Staaf had a relationship from 2015 until 2021, according to Viksten’s investigation.
Source: The Police Authority’s report/TT
See the full interview with Gunnar Strömmer in the player above.