The collaboration is the product of work that Andreas Zehlander, group leader for the police in Åre and Krokom, has been doing for a couple of years now. When he took up his post in 2020, he noticed that the intelligence work and information exchange across the country’s border with Norway was almost non-existent.
– We wanted to work towards that and then the idea was born that we must work together, says Andreas Zehlander.
60 police officers are to be trained
After several meetings, it is now clear. At the end of October, the agreement was signed and this week the first trainings begin, when 60 Norwegian and Swedish police officers will learn which laws, rules and working methods apply in each country. The purpose of the collaboration is to be able to better counter organized crime such as drug smuggling to and from the countries.
The cooperation agreement applies from 1 December and means that the police will be able to work on either side of the border.
The agreement is valid for six months
The municipalities of Åre, Krokom and Strömsund are included in the agreement and this means that the Norwegian police will be able to work with full powers in these municipalities.
Norwegian police have historically been called in for certain specific operations on certain days in Jämtland County. This agreement extends for six months and means that the Norwegian police can work in the county right up until the spring.