The decision was presented as justice and readiness Minister Anders Anundsen (FRP) held a press conference on Armament Wednesday morning.
Police Director Odd Reidar Humlegårdsvägen and PST chief Benedicte Bjørnland also attended the press conference.
– The threats we face, and the measures it is consented to, based on analyzes from PST and request of POD. The consent is rooted in the government as a whole, and to safeguard the police and public safety, says Anundsen.
– Police can be IS-goals
During the press conference presented the PST boss threats as a basis for armament.
– In autumn 2014 came ISIL with exhortations to its sympathizers on attacks against US and its allies. ISIL supporters in Norway may be prone to carry out attacks, and police are current targets, said Bjørnland, and showed that the police had been targeted in several attacks in Western countries.
Considers Stun
Humlegårdsvägen told that the police districts in the summer has been asked to propose other measures that may make it less necessary with the use of weapons, but that one has not come up with proposals that are sufficient.
– Police believe that it is still necessary with temporary armament in order to meet the population’s security and police people’s safety. The threat remains unchanged, and we have so far found no other measures that can replace armament, said police director.
Humlegårdsvägen further explained that they are now considering adopting stun guns as a supplementary measure.
– If the threat level does not change, we must start to think about other mitigating measures. We have therefore asked the Police Academy to investigate stun guns as a compensatory measure, says Humlegårdsvägen.
Greater discord about inflammatory topic
The temporary arming of the police entered into force in November, in the wake of PST stricter TAC for Norway. Armament was in late July extended until 20 August.
The decision has led to an inflamed debate, since the police in Norway to normal will be unarmed, and the decision does not have a declared majority in Parliament.
Among the critics is Lieutenant General Robert Mood, who have questioned whether the weapons training is good enough.
The decision has sometimes been referred to as a “creeping introduction” of an armed police in Norway – with no real political consideration .
Police officers, for their part accused some of the criticism to bear the stamp of a witch hunt.
It was not long after Wednesday’s press conference before the criticism again got forfeste. Dagbladet commentator John Olav Egeland writes that “PST chief terror analysis, which is the basis for police armament, are so unclear and button that scheme could continue for years.”
Shall report accidental shot to the Ministry
Since November, police reported 30 cases where service weapons have been used in a threat situation. In three of the cases, shots are fired.
In summer, it has been known that there have been several accidental shot with service weapons inside the police stations under the temporary armament.
Odd Reidar Humlegård explained during the press conference that weapons instruction now being changed so that all accidental discharge must be reported to the Police Directorate and on to the ministry.
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