Finland

Finland has a single police organization which is subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior. Police activities are planned, managed and supervised by the National Police Board. Each of Finland’s 24 police departments is responsible for maintaining public order and security and preventing crime in the regions.

The role of the Finnish Police is to secure judicial and social order, maintain public order and security and prevent and investigate crime.  In Finland, unlike many other countries, the police lead pre-trial investigations.  The police cooperate closely with the Border Guard and Customs, which are pre-trial authorities in their respective spheres of activity.

Staffing levels

The Finnish police is made up of almost 11,000 staff, of whom 7,800 are police officers. The population of Finland is 5.3 million, which means that there is one police officer for 680 citizens.

Structure

Besides 24 local police departments, the Finnish police is made up of three national units:

• National Bureau of Investigation;
• National Traffic Police;
• Finnish Security Intelligence Service

National Bureau of Investigation

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is in charge of fighting organized international and other serious crime. NBI investigations almost always have international ramifications and require cooperation with police authorities across the world.  The NBI provides other services to domestic law enforcement agencies which include forensic examination, intelligence, technical surveillance and access to INTERPOL’s secure global police communications network.

The NBI’s International Affairs Department (IAD) is the national contact point for all Finish investigations requiring international police cooperation.  IAD responsibilities include dealing with international requests for legal assistance and international communications. It also appoints and supervises Finnish police liaison officers, and has an important role in Finland’s efforts to fight cross-border crime.

INTERPOL Helsinki

The INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) for Finland is part of the IAD. The Head of the IAD is also the Head of the NCB. INTERPOL communications are transmitted by the NCB’s communications centre, which operates 24/7.