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The police certificate scheme is one of the few concrete measures sport has in place to keep abusers from being held accountable to children and young people, but many believe it just creates false security.
In Norway, the Sports Board has decided that all sports clubs and clubs must require that all volunteers and employees who have responsibilities and trust minors must present a police certificate without comment.
But since 2018, the police stopped renewing police certificates for people who already received them.
Today, sports teams cannot obtain a new police certificate for a person who has previously presented a police certificate to the same sports team, regardless of how long it has been since then.
Put bluntly, the current scheme means that if a child coach receives a police certificate in 2019 and is found guilty of sexual abuse in 2020, there is no way the sport will be notified or can capture this even through the police certificate scheme. .
– As it is today, it is generally a bogus security, says Håvard Øvregård, senior advisor for value work at NIF.
Activate the alarm
The Norwegian Sports Confederation now receives the support of various teams.
Bent Raknes, a former police superintendent and now a crime expert in Bergensavisen, is among several who are critical.
He sounds the alarm that a malfunctioning police certificate scheme may be a sleeping pad for those who must prevent and detect abuse by Norwegian sports teams.
– I doubt the effect. I think it’s bogus security, Raknes tells Nettavisen directly.
CRIME EXPERT: Former Police Superintendent Bent Raknes.
Photography: Simen Lønning (Nettavisen)
The former investigator who has worked with several abuse cases believes the plan is of little value.
Raknes believes that much more is needed to reduce the risk of potential abusers gaining access to minors through work on sports teams.
– I think it is very important to be aware of the subject, says Raknes.
Calls for more frequent renewals of the certificate, but also for sports teams to have clear contingency plans and dedicated people who can prevent and handle abuse cases.
Skeptical Kripos
Kripos also does not believe that the current police certificate scheme is optimal and believes that it is time to discuss possible changes.
This is what Emil Kofoed, head of the sex crimes section in Kripos says.
– Sport has based a large part of its control mechanism on the police certificate system. And when you see that it doesn’t work as expected, which is to prevent known sex offenders from gaining access to children, it’s not ideal, Kofoed tells Nettavisen.
Also read: Bjørn wanted to renew his police certificate from 2014. What happened generates reactions
He believes that the intention behind the scheme is good, but that the practice is not ideal.
– There is a clear weakness in the scheme, and it is important that one consider whether it should be changed, believe.
Kripos believes that it is important for the sport to have a control function, but he believes that it should be possible for the sport to verify the certificate of good conduct more frequently at specified intervals.
However, it has proved difficult for sports teams and clubs in Norway after the police will no longer issue certificates to people who have already received a certificate in relation to working for sports teams.
SKEPTIC: Emil Kofoed, head of the sex crimes section in Kripos.
Photography: Simen Lønning (Nettavisen)
Senior Advisor Heidi Toward at the Police Directorate confirms to Nettavisen that the current scheme dictates that a police certificate can only be obtained before a person starts in a new position or in a new position.
However, he believes there is a reason why the police do not want to spend resources renewing certificates every three years.
– The Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness has assessed that the periodic renewal of certificates is not necessarily the best tool to ensure that voluntary organizations are a safe setting for minors and other vulnerable people, Toward writes in an email to El online newspaper.
She believes that a police certificate will never be a guarantee that criminal acts will not take place, but can be used to exclude people.
– Therefore, a police certificate should only be part of the background check that all employers or clients need to consider in relation to who is suitable for positions or positions. References from other employers and other clubs will also help verify if the person in question is suitable for the position / position, he says.
THIS MUST BE COMPLETED: Here is the police certificate form that you need to complete if you are requesting a police certificate.
Photo: Police
Save the Children: – Big problem
The current practice is receiving much criticism and Save the Children is among those who have become involved.
Monica Sydgård, leader of the Norwegian Save the Children group, is upset by the current system.
– Part of the security plan must be that everyone must present a police certificate, but the problem has been that it has not been renewed by the police. Both we and the sports association have made this clear and have said that this must be changed, Sydgård tells Nettavisen.
She is basically positive about the police certificate scheme, but not about the way it works today.
– Obtaining police certificates has an important function, as it can prevent specific abuses, but also prevent people who may pose a risk to children from seeking roles in which they have contact with children. In Save the Children’s consultation statement on Police Certificates Act in 2019, we experienced it as a major issue that it is not possible to renew police certificates regularly for employees and volunteers working with children and they called for this to be changed, Sydgård explains.
Do you need to report sexual abuse of yourself or others? Contact the police here.
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