Despite changes in the operating environment, the police performed well last year

In 2015, the total number or crimes reported to the police was 803,846. The number decreased by nearly 10,000, or more than one per cent from the previous year.

Operational readiness times in emergency assignments improved slightly from 2014. In 2015, the operational readiness time in the most urgent, or category A assignments, was 9.3 minutes. The total number of police assignments remained at the previous year's level.

National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen considers last year's results quite positive, given the dramatic changes in the operating environment.

- Overall, the police performed very well during the year despite the impact the significant increase in the number of asylum seekers had on police work. The number of assignments did not change dramatically, but were increasingly related to crowd control, Kolehmainen says.

Changes in the Child Welfare Act resulted in an increase in assaults in private locations

The number of violent crimes increased by just over two per cent from 2014. The trend is similar for assaults. Assaults in private locations increased by more than four per cent while assaults in public places remained at the previous year's level, and the number of aggravated assaults fell by nearly two per cent.

- The increase in assaults in private locations can be attributed to the change in the Child Welfare Act which entered into force at the beginning of April, according to which certain parties are obligated, confidentiality provisions notwithstanding, to notify the police directly if they have reason to suspect violent crimes against a child, Kolehmainen explains.

He considers it important that assaults against children are reported immediately and directly to the police, thereby ensuring the quick and effective launch of an investigation into violent crime against a child.

Number of homicides the lowest in 30 years

The number of homicides dropped by nearly 15 percent from the previous year; the number of homicides – including attempted homicides – fell by nearly five per cent. Statistically, the number of homicides is at its lowest level in at least 30 years.

The number of homicides reported to the police was 86, a fall of 15 from the previous year. The number of homicides and attempted homicides reported to the police fell by 22 from the previous year.

- Together with various authorities and organisations, in recent years the police have actively participated in and contributed to preventive work between multiple authorities, which has been conducive to a reduction in serious violent crime, Seppo Kolehmainen commented.

Crimes involving sexual abuse of a child dropped by almost 13 per cent, or by 180 reported incidents, from the previous year, despite growing awareness of the crime of child abuse. Furthermore, the police believe that a growing number of sexual offences that previously remained unreported are now reported to the police and recorded in the statistics.

Number of rapes and underaged victims rising

In 2015, the number of rapes reported to the police increased by 38 from 2014. The number of aggravated rape victims on record under the age of 18 was up by 52 from the previous year.

This increase can be attributed to a change in the criminal law that came into force in early September 2014, according to which a rape is considered aggravated if the victim is aged under 18 and the act is deemed aggravated when assessed as a whole.

Violent crime clear-up rate good but with longer investigation periods

More than seven out of ten violent crimes were solved. The investigation time for violent crime is longer than it was a year earlier. The nature of violent crimes reported to the police and placed under investigation affects the duration of investigations and the clear-up rate.

-In the case of offences such as violent crimes against children, a preliminary investigation is always required and should be assigned – whenever possible – to specially trained and experienced investigators. Serious violent crimes, such as an assault of a child, are more difficult to investigate and the pre-trial investigation takes longer, says Kolehmainen.

Property crime and robberies declining

Property crime rate has fallen by just over two per cent from the previous year. When crimes committed by an unknown offender are included, the property crime clear-up rate shows a slight increase. Investigation times, however, are becoming longer.

- In recent years, we have been forced to compromise on day-to-day criminal investigations as the police work focus has shifted to urgent calls, organised crime, financial crime, and the prevention of terrorism and cyber crime, says Kolehmainen.

In terms of the number of robberies, 2014 was a relatively busy year, with a youth gang in Helsinki committing a series of robberies targeting other young people. The police were able to respond effectively, which partially explains the decrease in the number of robberies by nearly eight per cent in 2015.

Crimes involving fraud continue to rise

Fraud-related crime rate continues to soar; this has been the prevailing trend for several years. The number of payment frauds recorded in August was more than 1,000, in September it was more than 1,200 and in October it was more than 1,400, compared to 600-700 reported incidents per month in the past.

A particularly sharp rise has been seen in so-called subscription scams, where people are tricked into committing to premium-rate follow-up orders. The continuous rise in cases of fraud is partly explained by the growing volume of online fraud.

Crimes involving the use of drugs increasing

In 2015, reported drug-related crimes grew by more than seven per cent from the previous year. In particular, the number of drug-use-related offences grew by ten per cent. The number of aggravated drug offences has remained at around the previous year's level.

In 2015, the number of solved drug-related crimes grew by around eight per cent from the previous year. Drug-related crime remains largely unreported, and suspicions of extensive and serious drug-related crime are being recorded and the related pre-trial investigations are being completed at an uneven rate.

Excellent clear-up rate in financial crimes

The nationwide results for financial crime investigation in 2015 are rather good, despite the fact that, in the second half of the year, the resources of financial investigators were significantly affected by the large number of asylum seekers. Investigators were able to close approximately 2,000 cases – almost the same number as in 2014. The number of reported new crimes appears to have settled at approximately 1,800 cases annually. In 2015, the proceeds of such crime totalled some EUR 30 million.

- Professional online crimes, globalisation, and the growing use of virtual currencies have become an established part of financial crime and the underground economy in Finland. This represents a growing challenge to the authorities in areas such as gathering evidence and recovering the proceeds of crime, National Police Commissioner Kolehmainen concludes.

Total number of traffic offences declining

The total number of traffic offences revealed by the police has fallen by 3.6 per cent from the previous year. The increase in automatic traffic surveillance has kept the overall traffic surveillance rate at the previous year's level, while efficiency and productivity (output in relation to working time spent) have improved. The increase in automatic traffic surveillance can be attributed to more efficient use of the mobile equipment available to police departments.

The number of and working hours spent on breathalyser tests in drunk-driving enforcement have decreased by a few percent, but enforcement is being more accurately targeted due to the number of drivers suspected of drunk driving in proportion to the number of breathalyser tests being higher than before. According to research data (2015 R study), the number of drunk drivers in traffic has not grown.

The number of people driving under the influence of intoxicating substances other than alcohol has risen by almost 800 (20.2%) from the previous year, which has contributed to an overall increase in the number DUI incidents.

Successful launch of electronic licence services

The number of licensing matters handled by the police rose by around four per cent from 2014, with passports accounting for the biggest increase, at around 7 per cent. Similar growth was recorded in the number of licences and permits issued in the security sector.

The biggest decrease was seen in matters regarding aliens (3.3%). Since the statistics do not include applications and other matters regarding aliens filed electronically, the total decrease in alien matters is 3.3%. In 2014, a total of 1,705 applications and other matters regarding aliens were filed electronically, and 2,466 in 2015.

Electronic licence services were launched successfully. In 2015, approximately 254,000 electronic passport applications and 30,000 identity card applications were submitted.

Electronic passport applications represented approximately 33 per cent of all passport applications, and electronic ID card applications approximately 22 per cent. Approximately 18 per cent (136,000) of all passports were issued using the simplified procedure in 2015, in other words with no need for a personal visit to the police service point.

The police will no longer handle driving license applications after 2015. On 1 January 2016, the Finnish Transport Safety Agency took over the authority previously vested in the Police to issue driving licences and other licences and permits required in road traffic. Similarly, the Finnish Security Intelligence Service assumed responsibility for all matters related to security clearances at the beginning of 2016, and local police will no longer deal with matters relating to security clearances.

Slight decrease in the number of police officers

The total number of police personnel measured in person years fell by less than one per cent, or just over 70, from the previous year. Total number of personnel was 10,007. The decrease in the number of police officers was roughly the same. The number of police officers measured in person years was 7,359.

Police units took various recruitment measures, as a result of which 25 retired police officers returned to work to fill the resource gap caused primarily by the asylum seeker situation.

Statistics pdf, 150,4 kB