Wara will not intervene in the West Police District
Minister of Justice, Tor Mikkel Wara (Frp), is berated by KrF and Sp for too few police officers in the North Hordaland Sheriff District. Wara does not wish to overrule the West police district.
Seven positions have disappeared from the Sherriff District since January, according to Bergens Tidende (BT).
That is a half of the police officers, and leader of the Christian Democrats (KrF), Knut Arild Hareide, has stated that Wara has «an explanation problem». The Minister of Justice disagrees.
– I think it’s wrong by a Cabinet Minister to overrule details regarding how a police chief elects to dispose of the officers and resources he may have at his disposal, Wara responds to a written question from Member of Parliament, Kjersti Toppe (Centre Party).
Expects results
Wara states that the West police district has been strengthened with 100 man-years since 2014, of which 90 are police officer positions.
He also points to that during the same period there have been created 2,300 more man-years in the police in Norway.
– I expect that the structural changes that have now been completed, the increase in crew that has taken place, and the efforts the police now put into the qualitative part of the reform will give results, writes the Minister of Justice.
Believes cuts are neccessary
State secretary Thor Sættem (Conservatives) tells Bergens Tidende that the Ministry of Justice will request a statement from the West Police District regarding the situation in North Hordaland.
Police chief Kaare Songstad says that cuts in man-years have been necessary to take control of the economy of the West Police District.
– Better police services are now also delivered in this district after the reform, in my opinion. The measures that are implemented is about balancing the economy, which we have to do as we entered 2018 with a small deficit, says Songstad to Bergens Tidende.
Toppe in the Centre Party (SP) does not agree to what Wara says in his answer. She believes that the Minister of Justice should send clear messages to the Police Directorate regarding strengthening of the police unit in North Hordaland.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today