Iceland review - 2016, Page 75

ICELAND REVIEW 73
groups are composed of hardened criminals, Icelanders and
foreigners alike. I also would like to refer to what I said
earlier: are the police expected to counter armed individ-
uals or groups unarmed? Are we prepared to ask officers
to risk or give their lives in such circumstances? I think
that you won’t have to contemplate this matter for long
in order to reach a logical conclusion. Placing weapons in
closed and specially-made boxes in police vehicles is in my
mind a logical reaction to a changing environment. The
National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police also oper-
ates a Special Squad which is trained in the use of firearms
and how to react to terrorist and hostage situations. But let
me stress, the general police are unarmed and will remain
unarmed. You won’t encounter an Icelandic ‘bobby on the
beat’ carrying a gun. We feel that’s not the right way to go.
Some people might be surprised to learn that Iceland has a
Special Squad. Can you tell us more about it?
The Special Squad has received training in order to
be able to respond to armed and dangerous individuals and
groups and operate in the most difficult circumstances. In
2015 the Special Squad carried firearms on 104 occasions and
in 75 cases this was called for because of armed individuals. It
should be pointed out that members of the Special Squad also
carry out more traditional police work. They assist the general
police in many ways, carry out tasks involving protection and
security, training, diving, bomb disposal and last but not least
natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions.
How does the size of Icelandic society impact police work? What are
the advantages and disadvantages?
The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Surveys
have shown again and again that Icelanders trust their police.
Due to this relationship between the police and the public,
Icelanders do not hesitate to contact the police if they sense
something is not right in their close vicinity. Obviously, the
police can better serve the public when they have the people’s
trust. Disadvantages certainly exist: in such a small population
individual police officers are well known to everybody. Of
course that especially applies to smaller towns in the rural areas.
The closeness can become a problem; we are aware of that. The
risk of corruption certainly exists, so control is essential.
SOCIETY
Haraldur Johannessen.