The police worked with other authorities to carry out intensified controls at the opening of the waterfowl and bear hunting seasons on 20-21 August 2023.
The focus of controls was on locally and regionally relevant themes, mainly the hunting of waterfowl. Focusing controls was aimed at reaching as many hunters as possible across the country and informing them about police operations.
The police used around 650 working hours, or around 90 person-days, in nationwide controls. In addition, the controls were actively communicated. The authorities carrying out controls reached around 750 hunters in person, which is around 150 more contacts than in 2022. Resources available in some police departments have been moved to seabird hunting controls, which during the weekend starting on Friday 1 September will focus on islets and archipelagos.
During the controls, the police recorded 20 warnings, 8 petty fine orders and 4 reports of an offence. The most common criminal offence was a hunting violation, but there were also incidents of driving while intoxicated. In the event of hunters guilty of offences or violations, as an administrative measure the police always consider whether or not there is reason to intervene in the person’s permit to possess firearms. This does not necessarily lead to follow-up measures but is part of active permit control by the police.
At the national level, hunters were found to comply very well by hunting regulations and the violations found in the controls were minor and of slight significance. The police recorded slightly fewer sanctions than last year and there were no reports of serious negligence or offences.
The intensified controls by the police were commended not only by the collaboration authorities but also by the hunters themselves. Wilderness controls carried out by the police in collaboration with other authorities were widely seen as a positive and necessary exercise. The National Police Board thanks hunters, collaboration partners and police departments for a successful thematic control operation.
Police departments will provide more detailed information amount local results and observations.
