Police of Denmark
Danish Police Politiet | |
---|---|
Kingdom of Denmark | |
Governing body | Rigspolitiet |
General nature | |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Copenhagen Police Headquarters |
Police Officers | 11.360 [1] |
Civilian Employees | 5.423 [1] |
Website | |
www.politi.dk |
The
Organization
The police of Denmark consists of 12 districts each managed by a director and two minor districts in Greenland and the Faroe Islands, run by a local chief of police. The district of Copenhagen is somewhat differently organized due to its size and tasks.[citation needed]
Besides the regular districts other organizations exist that work outside the general police:
- Rigspolitiet - a nationwide police force with specialized tasks such as Budgets and Accounts, Building Surveying Department and the Data Investigating Department
- Politiets Efterretningstjeneste- the national security intelligence agency of Denmark
- Politiets Aktionsstyrke - the special forces unit of the Danish police
- National enhed for Særlig Kriminalitet- national crime unit that investigates and prosecutes organized, economical and cyber crime.
Equipment
Uniform
Historically Danish police wore a red uniform until 1863, when it was replaced by dark blue with a crested helmet.[3]
The modern common uniform is a light blue shirt with the police insignia on the sleeve. Usually a tie is also worn. Rank-insignia is worn on the shoulders. The trousers are dark blue with reflective patches. Black shoes are also included in the standard uniform. Special tactical suits are made of flame-resistant materials and are worn in situations requiring such equipment. The tactical suit also includes a protective helmet.[citation needed]
Vehicles
For daily duties, the patrol-vehicles are white with yellow and green reflective stripes and dog-patrols are mostly dark blue with white stripes. They generally have 3 blue lights and a spotlight on the top. The word "POLITI" painted on the side in clear reflective paint. The most commonly used patrol vehicles are
The traffic police also use unmarked vans for automatic traffic control. These are primarily VW Transporters, Mercedes Benz Vitos,
Some rural police officers use civilian vehicles with a dismountable magnetic roof beacon.[citation needed]
For traffic regulation and VIP and ambulance escorts
Weapons
The standard service handgun is the
In November 2023, it was announced that the Danish Police had adopted the SIG Sauer P320 chambered in 9x19mm, to replace the H&K USP Compact 9mm pistols currently in service. [1]
Law about police enforcement
This article needs to be updated.(December 2023) |
The operation of Danish police is regulated in the Act on Police Enforcement (da: Lov om politiets virksomhed), commonly known as The Police Act (da: politiloven) of 20 August 2015.[7]
Its first section states that:
"The police must work to ensure security, safety, peace and order in society. The police must promote this purpose through prevention, assistance and enforcement."
The second section states that other areas of police jurisdiction include:
- preventing criminal actions, disturbances of the public peace and order and danger to individual citizens and public safety
- stopping criminal actions and investigating and prosecuting criminal actions
- supporting citizens in dangerous situations
- carrying out checking and inspecting under current rules and regulations
- supporting other agencies under current rules and regulations
- performing other tasks under current rules and regulations, as well as handling other tasks which are naturally associated with police duties.
Lastly, the third section states: "The police may in other situations than those mentioned in statutory law only interfere with citizens under this Act."[note 1]
Ranks and insignia
In Denmark, the local prosecution service is part of the police. Since 2014, only Chief Prosecutors wear uniforms; other prosecutors, such as senior prosecutors, prosecutors, associate prosecutors, and advocates, do not.
Rank | Rank titles[8] | Rank insignia[8] | Personnel category | English equivalent |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Rigspolitichef | Senior manager | Police commissioner | |
2. | Politidirektør Direktionsmedlem i Rigspolitiet Politimester i PET Politimester i Grønland Politimester på Færøerne |
Senior manager | Chief constable | |
3. | Stabschef Afdelingschef i Rigs- politiet |
Senior manager | Assistant Chief Constable
| |
Chefanklager | Lawyer | Chief Crown Prosecutor
| ||
Chefpolitiinspektør | Police | Chief Superintendent
| ||
4. | Vicepolitimester i Grønland Vicepolitimester på Færøerne Vicepolitimester i Rigspolitiet Politiinspektør |
Police | Superintendent | |
5. | Vicepolitiinspektør | Police | Police Inspector
| |
6. | Politikommissær | Police | Police Sergeant
| |
7. | Politiassistent | Police | Police Constable with 12 years service | |
8. | Politiassistent | Police | Police Constable with 7 years service | |
9. | Politibetjent | Police | Police Constable
| |
10. | Politikadet | Police | Police Cadet |
Military police
The
MP personnel typically wear either specific display dress uniforms with white MP shoulder markings or the branch-common daily battle dress uniforms with a red beret.
MP personnel generally do not have any legal jurisdiction over civilians in non-military locations, but only over military personnel and over everyone on military installations (also publicly accessible places such as the
Police Home Guard
The Danish police can call upon assistance from a section of the
The volunteers are mainly used for traffic control at festivals, searches for victims and guarding community installations and are never used in tasks involving direct confrontation with civilians (riot control or planned arrests). These companies are part of the Army Home Guard.[9]
They wear branch-common daily battle dress uniforms, green berets and bright yellow vests with the text "POLITI HJEMMEVÆRNET" (POLICE HOME GUARD).
Members of the police home guard have slightly more legal authority than regular citizens when the service they provide calls for it, but they are always under the supervision of the civilian police.
See also
Notes
- ^ Though this may seem obvious, it is a precaution that clearly states that the police may under no circumstances act towards the citizens in ways not stated by law (da: hjemlet). This ensures that the police cannot make their own interpretations of laws or regulations.
References
- ^ a b "Politiets HR-Nøgletal" [Danish Police's HR Numbers] (PDF). Politi.dk (in Danish). 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ^ "Annex 1: List of national services responsible for border control" (PDF). Practical Handbook for Border Guards (Schengen Handbook). European Commission. 6 November 2006. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ Danish Police Museum, Copenhagen
- ^ "Fotovogne i Danmark" [Photo vehicles in Denmark]. 10-20.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ "Politiet får nye motorcykler" [Police get new motorcycles]. Politi.dk (in Danish). 22 September 2005. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ Olsen, Frode Z. (2008). "The use of police firearms in Denmark" (PDF). Politi.dk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
- ^ "Lov om politiets virksomhed" [Law on Police Activity]. Retsinformation.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ a b "Distinktioner I Politiet" [Danish Police rank insignia] (PDF). Politi.dk (in Danish). July 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
- ^ "Hærhjemmeværnet" [The Home Guard]. Vistillerop.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.