Police and prosecution - StatRes (discontinued), 2010

In 2010, 227 more contracted man-years, excluding long-term leave, were carried out in the police and prosecution authority than the year before. The Police Districts had around the same amount of man-years, but there was an increase in the number of man-years associated with other units in the police and prosecution authority, particularly in the police’s special agencies.

Moderate increase in police man-years, but major increase in other positions

The number of man-years in the police and prosecution authority increased by 15 per cent from 2005 to 2010. The increase in man-years, including from 2009 to 2010, was primarily linked to the rise in the number of civilian positions - which have grown by 1 574 man-years since 2005. In the same period, the number of police man-years, i.e. police-educated personnel in specific types of positions, increased by 201. In 2010, 5 809 of the man-years were in civilian positions, while 7 684 related to police man-years.

If we compare the increase in man-years from 2005 to 2010 with the growth in population during the same period, the total scope of man-years increases from 2.5 to 2.8 man-years per 1 000 inhabitants, while police man-years remain stable, at 1.6 per 1 000 inhabitants.

Man-years vary between the Police Districts

More than four out of five man-years in the police and prosecution authority in 2010 related to the Police Districts. However, there are major differences between the various Police Districts. Øst-Finnmark and Oslo Police District had 3 and 2.5 police man-years respectively per 1 000 inhabitants in 2010, and had the clear majority of police man-years. The Police Districts of Sunnmøre and Haugaland og Sunnhordaland had the least, with 1 police man-year per 1 000 inhabitants. If we take the total number of man-years, both police man-years and civilian positions, it is also the aforementioned Police Districts that have the most and fewest man-years in relation to the population.

Large increase in wage costs

The police and prosecution authority’s total expenses in 2010 were NOK 13 billion. This is around NOK 1 billion more than in 2009 and NOK 2 billion more than in 2008. From 2005 to 2010, the total expenses increased by NOK 3.8 billion, or 41 per cent.

Almost all of the increase in the total expenses from 2009 to 2010 is due to higher wage costs. The wage expenses increased by 11.6 per cent in total, and increased at about the same rate, in relative terms, in the Police Districts as in other units in the police and prosecution authority. In 2010, around 70 per cent of the expenses related to wages, while 30 per cent related to the purchase of goods and services.

Fewer offences for profit reported, but more drug-related crimes

The police and prosecution authority registered a total of 394 000 offences in 2010, of which almost 271 000 were crimes. In relation to 2009, 2.3 per cent fewer crimes and 2.5 per cent more misdemeanours were reported in 2010.

In 2010, the police and prosecution authority received many fewer reports of offences for profit and damage to property than in 2009. A total of 177 000 offences for profit and 21 400 incidents of damage to property were reported, which is 5.8 per cent and 13 per cent fewer than the previous year respectively. However, the number of drug-related crimes registered by the police and prosecution authority increased considerably, and the 45 400 reported offences in 2010 is 15.6 per cent more than in 2009. In other words, compared with the preceding years, drug cases make up a larger share of the police and prosecution authority’s criminal cases.

Police’s civilian work

In addition to the work of the police and prosecution authority relating to criminal proceedings, they also have many tasks within the administration and civil administration of justice at elementary level. For example, through the enforcement officer, the police received 5 400 applications for debt settlements and more than 226 000 applications for writ of execution in 2010.

The police also received more than 195 000 applications and other cases within the immigration administration in 2010. The vast majority of these cases related to issues concerning residency and work in Norway, which the police work extensively with the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration on (see Immigration regulation - StatRes ). Police work relating to the immigration administration in 2010 included 67 500 cases of registering EEA nationals, 33 400 applications for family reunification and 14 500 applications for Norwegian citizenship. The police also executed 4 615 forced returns in 2010.