Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) and Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) hold a press conference on Friday.
After meeting with Commander-in-Chief Micael Bydén and National Police Chief Anders Thornberg, the Prime Minister announced that the Armed Forces should support the Police.
– Sweden is in an extreme situation right now – the wave of violence is unprecedented in Sweden and Europe, says Ulf Kristersson.
The prime minister began by highlighting the government’s investments in crime fighting.
– All law enforcement agencies get new tools and resources to deal with serious crime in Sweden and we speed up legislative processes, he says.
He also announced that on Thursday the government will give the defense forces the task of being helpful in the work of the police.
– We will make a government decision on a task for the armed forces and the police authority to give and receive help where the special skills of the armed forces can give the police help within the current legislation, he says.
It can be about explosives expertise, helicopter logistics, analytical work and IT expertise.
Want to change the law
In a second step, the government wants to change the legislation to provide increased opportunities for cooperation.
– We want to give police authorities greater opportunities to ask for help where the armed forces have competence in situations not covered by today’s legislation. It is about gray zone situations where it is not obvious what threat Sweden is facing, he says and continues:
– This should have changed a long time ago.
The announcement comes after Kristersson had a meeting on Friday with Commander-in-Chief Micael Bydén and National Police Chief Anders Thornberg to discuss how the Armed Forces can help the police in their work against the criminal gangs.
See the press conference in the player above.