Denmark’s police leaders to meet as poor conduct cases mount up
Police leaders from all over Denmark are to meet to discuss culture and behaviour in the country’s police forces after recent reports of poor conduct.
The head of the National Police (Rigspolitiet), Thorkild Fogde, has called a meeting of police directors to be held on Wednesday, according to news wire Ritzau.
That comes after the Minister of Justice, Peter Hummelgaard said he was concerned about recent reports of poor police conduct.
“I can understand the concerns of the Minister of Justice when so many critical aspects have been raised about the police in a relatively short space of time, as has been the case here,” Fogde said on Tuesday.
“This has culminated with a very shocking case today from Copenhagen Police,” he said.
Hummelgaard said earlier on Tuesday that he was concerned after a number recent reports critical of police conduct and called for the National Police leadership to scrutinise the “behaviour and culture” among law enforcement officers.
Recent episodes, reported by Danish media, include the heavy-handed arrest of a cyclist in Copenhagen for using his mobile phone while riding; a documentary by national broadcaster DR including video material that appears to show harassment of a family in Vejle by a police unit which has since been disbanded; and the arrest on Tuesday of six officers from Copenhagen Police on suspicion of theft and drug dealing.
Fogde said it was “natural” for the minister to ask for a closer look at the issues to identify any commonalities or underlying characteristics.
The police directors to be involved in the meeting have operational responsibility in local districts.
A summary of the situation in the police will be given to the minister after the meeting but will “take time” to put together because “this is a complex problem that includes many facets”, Fogde said.
The national director said that public trust in the police is “built up over generations” and therefore has “no quick fixes”.
He also said that it was so far unclear if any measures would be taken or what they might be.
“As has been pointed out several times, the same thing applies to police as to everyone else: they are innocent until proven otherwise,” he said.
“So it can take some time to get information from independent evaluations of situations,” he said.
Public confidence in the police is still high despite recent episodes that have caused bad publicity, he said.
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The head of the National Police (Rigspolitiet), Thorkild Fogde, has called a meeting of police directors to be held on Wednesday, according to news wire Ritzau.
That comes after the Minister of Justice, Peter Hummelgaard said he was concerned about recent reports of poor police conduct.
“I can understand the concerns of the Minister of Justice when so many critical aspects have been raised about the police in a relatively short space of time, as has been the case here,” Fogde said on Tuesday.
“This has culminated with a very shocking case today from Copenhagen Police,” he said.
Hummelgaard said earlier on Tuesday that he was concerned after a number recent reports critical of police conduct and called for the National Police leadership to scrutinise the “behaviour and culture” among law enforcement officers.
Recent episodes, reported by Danish media, include the heavy-handed arrest of a cyclist in Copenhagen for using his mobile phone while riding; a documentary by national broadcaster DR including video material that appears to show harassment of a family in Vejle by a police unit which has since been disbanded; and the arrest on Tuesday of six officers from Copenhagen Police on suspicion of theft and drug dealing.
Fogde said it was “natural” for the minister to ask for a closer look at the issues to identify any commonalities or underlying characteristics.
The police directors to be involved in the meeting have operational responsibility in local districts.
A summary of the situation in the police will be given to the minister after the meeting but will “take time” to put together because “this is a complex problem that includes many facets”, Fogde said.
The national director said that public trust in the police is “built up over generations” and therefore has “no quick fixes”.
He also said that it was so far unclear if any measures would be taken or what they might be.
“As has been pointed out several times, the same thing applies to police as to everyone else: they are innocent until proven otherwise,” he said.
“So it can take some time to get information from independent evaluations of situations,” he said.
Public confidence in the police is still high despite recent episodes that have caused bad publicity, he said.
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