The Swedish police union has criticized the police authority for failing to resolve the halt in background checks for employees after more than seven months. Officers warn that criminals and foreign powers can now infiltrate the agency unchecked. The security department is raising alarms over the serious risks.
Background checks for police employees have been halted within the Swedish Police Authority for over seven months. This means officers cannot use internal registers to verify staff reliability and are instead advised to search via Google. The police union, Polisförbundet, is reacting strongly to the situation.
"It is unacceptable and unreasonable," says Katharina von Sydow, chair of Polisförbundet. She stresses that the authority has failed to act despite the issue persisting for so long.
The police security department is warning of acute risks. Without proper checks, the door is open for unauthorized individuals to enter the organization.
"If you belong to a criminal network or foreign power, it's free rein to enter the Police Authority," says Robert Falk from police region Väst. He highlights how the lack of checks creates vulnerabilities that could be exploited by criminal networks or foreign actors.
The problem arose suddenly and remains unresolved despite repeated demands from the union. The Police Authority has not commented in the available sources, but the alarms from both the union and security personnel underscore the severity. This affects the entire agency's credibility and operational security in Sweden.