Government wants to merge police authorities
Sweden's 21 local police authorities are to be merged with the national police board, according to new proposals due to be announced in the upcoming autumn budget.
Justice Minister Beatrice Ask says the police need a more modern organisation, and one single authority could be the solution. It will mean that resources can be moved where they are most needed, and things like different computer systems in the different regions will become a thing of the past, she adds.
Critics say the move could lead to a centralisation in the police service, but Ask tells Swedish Radio News that she is not worried. "Much crime prevention is carried out on a local level all over the country. Our aim isn't to move those decisions to a central level."
The government is to allocate a further US$ 7.5 million (50 million SEK) to pay for the reforms.
