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Since the findings of the research project on culture in the police service were known last Wednesday, the researchers behind the project have received several cases of alert.
– There are several who notify us about the cases they have found. This gives us a more solid basis to be able to say something more about our findings, says Professor Ulla-Britt Lilleaas, who is behind the research project together with Dag Ellingsen.
Party culture
In a press release on the police website last week, Police Director Benedicte Bjørnland said she heard about abuse of position to achieve sex acts in exchange for favorable guards or good references.
– Heard about party culture and so-called “Fuck Thursdays” on B3 [bachelor i politiutdanning]camp, Bjørnland said in the press release.
– There have been rumors
Lilleaas will not comment on the number of new alerts, but says they are from alumni of the Police Academy.
– The warnings are not from students, but from women who have been students not long ago, he tells Dagbladet.
However, he believes that it is regrettable that expressions such as “fuck Thursday” attract attention.
– There will be big headlines and little that comes off of seriousness, says the researcher.
Employee survey
Police Director Benedicte Bjørnland received the findings of the investigation two weeks ago.
– There have been stories related to stays in camps at the Police Academy, where there must have been sexual relations between students and instructors, Bjørnland tells Dagbladet.
There have also been incidents in police districts or special agencies where subordinates have had sex with a superior for consideration, such as good certificates and advantageous services, says the police director.
Bjørnland wants to investigate the scope of the research findings, before further measures are implemented.
– The information we have now received imposes a duty on me and on all the police leaders. The first thing we’ll do is run a more detailed employee survey that goes deeper into this, with more detailed questions, so we have a good idea of what we’re dealing with, he tells Dagbladet.
– I laughed
– We owe it to our employees, and in particular to those who have reported that they have been subjected to sexual harassment, that we clean up, says Bjørnland.
Next meeting topic
Justice Minister Monica Mæland is also waiting for a cleanup.
– Unacceptable. An assault, a harassment, is too much, and this is not how we should have it in the Norwegian police, Mæland tells Dagbladet.
She says it has had consequences for some, after the culture was discovered in, among other places, the West Police District earlier this year. However, the new report shows that the culture is more widespread than a single district, something Mæland was familiar with.
He points out that there is work to be done both in politics, in the police and in the districts.
– I have regular meetings with the police director, and this will be a topic at the next meeting, says Mæland.
