Sweden announced on Friday that it will allow the military to provide greater assistance to the police in combating a wave of crime that has plagued the country, resulting in 12 deaths in September alone.
Almost daily incidents of gunfire occur in Sweden, with some being carried out by teenagers, and the blame for most acts of violence is placed on criminal gangs.
Currently, Swedish law prohibits the military from assisting the police in situations where the use of force is necessary, except in cases of terrorist attacks or war.
Following a meeting with police and military leaders, Prime Minister Olof Kristersson stated that the army and police will now be officially tasked with exploring ways to cooperate.
The government will also consider amending the law to broaden the circumstances under which the police can request military assistance, although specific details were not provided.
Kristersson stated at a press conference, “The wave of violence… is unprecedented in Sweden, but it is also unprecedented in Europe. There is no situation like ours in any other country.”
The government also expressed a desire for the military and police to assist each other in areas such as logistics, specialized information technology, forensic expertise, explosives, and analysis, which may already be possible under current laws.
Kristersson mentioned that the government has received offers of assistance from other Nordic countries, as his counterparts in Norway, Finland, and Denmark do not want “Swedish gang crime to spill over onto their soil.”
