Kolehmainen slams violence against police

National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen in an official statement issued by the National Board of Police has denounced a recent attack on policemen.

Kolehmainen reminded that the police risk their lives every day in order to keep the public safe. “It is our duty: to keep everyone safe at all times. Thus, violence towards the Finnish police is violence towards the Finnish society. We cannot allow that,” said the police commissioner.

The police boss pointed out that for years there has been discussion on how the operating environment of the police has changed significantly.

“At the same time, we have tried to ensure that the authorities have the capacity, skills, readiness and legislation that correspond to the circumstances,” Kolehmainen said.

The police boss said violence towards the police has doubled in this millennium.

“Last year, the words pistol, shotgun, rifle, assault rifle were mentioned almost seven thousand times in the police duty reports. Before last night, shots were aimed at the police twice and someone threatened to shoot the police nine times this year,” he said.

According to Kolehmainen, the police have approximately 35,000 assignments related to lives and health every year. In these assignments, the risks are greater than usual.