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– Periodically demanding, admits the police. The consequences are noticeable in sport, among other things, where they no longer receive renewed police certificates when they want to.
The police certification scheme is one of the few concrete tools that sport has to prevent unfit people from gaining responsibility and trust in minors.
In Norway, there is only one police station that handles all requests.
Many of the requests come from volunteers and employees in the sport, and the total number will be very high.
– I can say that we process approximately 420,000 certificates every year.
This is what Leif Sætrum, head of the police conduct control and police certificates unit says.
He leads the extensive work at the Vardø Police Station in Finnmark.
– There are always challenges
In an email to Nettavisen, Sætrum writes that they generally manage to handle the large number of applications, but that it can be challenging at times.
– There are always challenges, some of the challenges we see are that confirmations attached to applications do not always agree with what the applicant should request for a certificate, or that the applicant does not request the correct purpose, says Sætrum.
Also read: NIF wants to change the police certificate scheme. Believe abusers can sneak into sport: – Completely unsustainable
It is also problematic for the police that more people are still not requesting a certificate digitally through the police website. Several have also not created a digital mailbox.
– Norway Post has reduced its deliveries and a certificate in the mail takes a long time to arrive. The encouragement for everyone is to apply digitally and create a digital mailbox, Sætrum says.
At the same time, it turns out that some times of the year are also more challenging than others.
– Periodically it is demanding, especially in periods with many applications, says Sætrum and points to times where, for example, there are admissions to higher education.
The police chief also explains that the crown period has been demanding. However, you experience that the requests are processed correctly.
– We trust that the certificates will be processed in accordance with the Police Registration Law and regulations, he says.
– 30 percent with multiple records on them
Sætrum explains that the processing time varies from application to application.
Of the more than 400,000 applications that come in, about 30 percent of those who apply have multiple records.
– They are also processed reasonably quickly, but in some cases we have to check with the police districts, and then it may take a little longer. There may be cases that have not been solved, and that are a pending case, then we ask the police districts for more information, explains the police chief.
With the remaining 70 percent, treatment tends to be faster.
– In 70 percent of cases, applicants do not have a record in police records, says Sætrum.
Change for clubs and sports teams
Sports clubs in Norway are required to obtain a police certificate without comment to hire a volunteer or employee who is assigned tasks that involve responsibility or trust in children. The Sports Board has decided this.
Previously, the practice was that volunteers and employees had to request a new certificate every three years, but this is no longer possible.
Read more: Offer help to people who are sexually attracted to children before they commit abuse.
However, Sætrum is clear that the police are following the book.
– As for why it is not possible to get a new police certificate issued every three years, this is due to the introduction of the Police Registration Law and regulations in 2015.
– After the entry into force of the law and regulations, the unit has changed its practice, so that the practice is in accordance with the law and regulations, explains Sætrum.
In Norway, however, there is frustration among several clubs who believe that police certificates should be renewed more frequently. Read more about it here.
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