Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard (Social Democrats) has committed to enhancing the Danish police’s ability to combat crime committed by young Swedish offenders. In this effort, the minister aims to provide the police with access to advanced digital tools that could significantly impact investigations. Hummelgaard made this statement on Thursday following a meeting with the National Unit for Special Crime (NSK) and Chief Constable Thorkild Fogde.
The focus is particularly on the use of encrypted communication services and facial recognition technology. In recent months, several young Swedish individuals have been arrested in Denmark and charged with serious offenses such as attempted murder, raising concerns among both law enforcement and the government. Hummelgaard emphasized that the police believe these young Swedes are being recruited to carry out criminal activities on Danish soil. Since April, the police have recorded 25 incidents involving such cases.
The facial recognition technology that the minister is seeking approval for will not be used in real-time. Instead, it will analyze large volumes of video footage quickly and efficiently to identify perpetrators who are not already known to the police, thereby reducing the extensive manpower required for manual review of the material.
Although the implementation of facial recognition software can be costly and may spark discussions regarding privacy concerns, Hummelgaard is confident in its necessity. He pointed out that with the increasing trend of young Swedes being hired by criminal gangs to commit crimes in Denmark, effective policing tools are essential to address this growing issue.