The National Police Chief: Border Control Should Target Criminals

In a recent press conference at the Ministry of Justice, National Police Chief Thorkild Fogde emphasized that the police are not interested in implementing general border controls for all travelers between Sweden and Denmark. Fogde stressed that police resources should focus on monitoring and controlling criminal environments, especially when individuals cross the border.

This announcement follows a shooting incident in Copenhagen, where a man was killed and a passing woman was injured. As a result, several political parties, including the Denmark Democrats (Danmarksdemokraterne), have called for stricter border controls, inspired by previous measures at the German border.

“The police want to monitor specific individuals, vehicles, and networks when they cross the border,” said Fogde, adding that comprehensive border control of law-abiding citizens is not in the police’s interest. Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard has responded to the recent surge of violence by enhancing control using new methods and technology, including license plate recognition and possibly facial recognition.

Fogde further explained that border control has a certain deterrent effect on criminals, but pointed out that criminals often avoid transporting weapons across borders because they acquire them locally. He also noted that an unknown young perpetrator could easily evade capture during a standard border check.

Despite the new measures, Fogde emphasizes that the police’s focus will remain on specific intelligence and targeted surveillance. This includes closer collaboration with Swedish authorities and an increased police presence on trains coming from Sweden.

Hummelgaard added that efforts are currently being made to integrate facial recognition technology into operations, which could potentially enhance the police’s ability to identify and stop criminals across the border.