'Sweden needs its own FBI' - police chief
Sweden's police chief has called for a new national authority for fighting organised crime. Speaking in an interview with newspaper Dagens Nyheter, Stefan Strömberg said that Sweden needed its own FBI.
Describing the growth of organised crime in Sweden as 'very worrying', Strömberg identified inter-gang conflicts, witness harassment and the industrial approach to crime as the key trends.
"I hope we can hold this back," he said to DN, commenting on how these trends would develop over the next ten years.
"But it's utterly clear that if we don't do anything then they will increase."
Stefan Strömberg told Dagens Nyheter that while the police's intelligence capabilities are better today than when violence between motorcycle gangs erupted in the last decade, the need for extra centralised police resources must be emphasised to the government.
The head of the Swedish police acknowledged that it could end up being structured like America's Federal Bureau of Investigation.
"Yes, you could say that. A possibility would be to strengthen the National Criminal Investigation Department with branches around the country. I have also spoken to the chief prosecutor about the need for certain prosecutors to be more involved in the work," he told DN.
Strömberg added that he hoped that such an organisation could be in place from the beginning of 2009.
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Describing the growth of organised crime in Sweden as 'very worrying', Strömberg identified inter-gang conflicts, witness harassment and the industrial approach to crime as the key trends.
"I hope we can hold this back," he said to DN, commenting on how these trends would develop over the next ten years.
"But it's utterly clear that if we don't do anything then they will increase."
Stefan Strömberg told Dagens Nyheter that while the police's intelligence capabilities are better today than when violence between motorcycle gangs erupted in the last decade, the need for extra centralised police resources must be emphasised to the government.
The head of the Swedish police acknowledged that it could end up being structured like America's Federal Bureau of Investigation.
"Yes, you could say that. A possibility would be to strengthen the National Criminal Investigation Department with branches around the country. I have also spoken to the chief prosecutor about the need for certain prosecutors to be more involved in the work," he told DN.
Strömberg added that he hoped that such an organisation could be in place from the beginning of 2009.
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