Police increasingly face threatening situations: incidents of violent resistance doubled in 10 years

The police use force only when absolutely necessary in performing an official duty. In the current year so far, there have been slightly more than 10,000 such incidents. The examples in this media release illustrate the kinds of situations that the police may have to deal with on a call.

The police respond to more than one million emergency calls each year. This translates to about 2,800 calls per day, or 115 calls per hour. The most important task of the police is to safeguard life, health and security. The vast majority of emergency calls and client encounters are managed without force, but police officers are increasingly facing situations involving persons whose behaviour is unpredictable, violent or hazardous. Mental health problems, intoxicant abuse and drug-related offences are a growing concern for the police.

Incidents of violent resistance to a police officer have doubled between 2015 and 2025, while the number of emergency calls has remained about the same. In 2015, 421 cases of violent resistance to a public official were recorded; the figure for 2025 was 855. In the current year, 585 cases were recorded from January to July.

The number of situations where the police have had to use force has also increased in recent years. In 2024, the police prepared for or actually used force in just under 17,000 cases; in 2025, this figure increased to more than 18,500. In the current year, slightly more than 10,000 cases were recorded from January to July – an average of more than 45 per day.

Use of force is the last resort for the police

“Avoiding the use of force is a fundamental principle of police work. Police officers aim to de-escalate situations principally through advice, encouragement, orders and other interactive means. Force is only used when absolutely required in performing an official duty,” says Assistant Police Commissioner Sami Hätönen, Chief of the Public Order and Security Unit at the National Police Board.

If, however, a person fails to comply with orders issued by the police or poses an imminent danger to themselves, to bystanders or to officials, then the police are obliged to act. 

The means used must be proportional to the situation at hand and cause as little harm as possible. The police are bound by the principle of least harm. 

“In many cases, the decision on which measures to deploy has to be made quickly and under pressure. When using force, the means used must be that which is the least powerful yet at the same time appropriate for the situation and sufficiently effective,” Hätönen explains.

Coercive measures used by the police are strictly controlled by law and closely overseen. Use of force forms part of basic and advanced training for police officers. Regardless of which means or methods are used, the goal is always to dispel danger and restore safety. 

Police depend on the trust of citizens in their work. Police officers must at all times act in compliance with the law and with the ethical policies and values of the police. Any offences alleged to have been committed by a police officer are independently investigated, with a prosecutor as the chief investigating officer, and any resulting sanctions are handed down by a court of law.

The following is a selection of police calls from the past week (the week beginning Monday 17 August) where police officers had to resort to force.

Kuopio

Near Kuopio, a police patrol noticed a vehicle in traffic that was associated with a recent emergency call. Having spotted the police, the driver accelerated to well above the speed limit. For safety reasons, the police did not attempt to force the car to stop but instead prepared to halt its progress with a spike strip. The driver managed to avoid the spike strip, but the police then stopped the car on a minor road by running it off the road at low speed. No injuries were sustained in the operation, and vehicles suffered no significant damage. 

The driver’s breathalyser test showed a blood alcohol content of 0.24 mg/l, and the quick tox screen came back positive. The persons in the vehicle were apprehended and taken to the police station. The driver is suspected of aggravated endangering of traffic safety, unauthorised operating of a vehicle, illegal use of a narcotic drug and driving while intoxicated.

Saarijärvi

The police were notified by the Emergency Response Centre that the window of a commercial property in Saarijärvi had been broken and two persons had entered the premises. A security guard arriving on the scene had attempted to stop those persons, but they assaulted the guard and left the scene in a car.

A police patrol found the vehicle and identified the apartment where the perpetrators were suspected to be. Soon three people exited the apartment, and one of them ran away. The police ran after that person and caught them, and they resisted arrest to the point where the police officers were obliged to use physical force to restrain them. The person continued to resist in the police vehicle and had to be fitted with leg irons in addition to handcuffs.

All three persons were apprehended. The case is being investigated as suspected robbery, theft and obstructing a public official.

Kotka

In Kotka, police were called out in a case where a suicidal person had notified a family member that they had harmed themselves. When the police arrived on the scene, the person was alone and was holding a knife. The police officers talked to the person, who gave up the knife and agreed to go to hospital in an ambulance. At this point, the demanding situation had been resolved through negotiation.

However, during the journey the person turned violent and began to inflict self-harm. The person threw things, tore at bandages, hit their head against the side of the ambulance and hit the ambulance door with fists. The transport had to be halted. Police officers attempted to calm down the situation and cautioned the person that force would be used. As the violent behaviour continued, the police officers were obliged to use physical force to prevent the person from harming themselves or others. The person was pinned to the ground in an orderly manner, and handcuffs and leg irons were applied to restrict movement. A spit hood also had to be deployed because of the person spitting. Once the situation had calmed down, the person was placed on an ambulance gurney and taken to hospital.

The person is suspected of violent resistance to a public official.

Siuntio

The Emergency Response Centre called out the police, notifying them that a van had been stolen in Lohja. The person calling in the incident had placed a device in the van that located it in Siuntio.

A police patrol noticed the stolen van and attempted to stop the driver, who ran away. Several patrols joined the call. When following someone, police officers have to consider multiple risks, in this case involving children present in the area. Also, the commanding officer ordered that the pursuit must be abandoned if necessary.

A patrol noticed the target vehicle in a ditch alongside a road nearby. The driver ran away into a field and discarded something on the ground. Police officers caught up with a driver, who was holding a knife sheath. The driver dropped the sheath when ordered to by the police and was then apprehended. After the apprehending, a knife was found on the ground.

The police suspect the driver of aggravated endangering of traffic safety, theft of a motor vehicle for temporary use, driving while intoxicated, unauthorised operating of a vehicle, possession of an object suitable for injuring another person and illegal use of a narcotic drug.
Later, the same person was associated with an earlier call in Lohja where a person had attempted unauthorised operating of a tractor.

Pedersöre

The police were notified by the Emergency Response Centre that three persons had broken into a motorcycle shop. The owner of the shop was on the premises at the time and interrupted the perpetrators in action. The persons left the site by car.

The police were given a good description of the car and noticed it in traffic. The driver fled, and the police joined in pursuit. During the pursuit, two persons exited the car, but the driver carried on. One of the persons who exited the vehicle stayed by the side of the road and was apprehended by the police; the other ran off into the forest.

The police searched for the person who ran off into the forest using an unmanned aerial vehicle and a police dog. The dog found the person under a tree, and police officers apprehended him.

The driver continued to flee for a while but eventually gave up and stopped the car. The driver complied with police orders when being apprehended.
All three persons are suspected of attempted aggravated theft. The driver is further suspected of aggravated driving while intoxicated, aggravated endangering of traffic safety and unauthorised operating of a vehicle.

Vantaa

In Vantaa, a motorcycle police officer stopped a motorcycle that had no license plate. The motorist was subject to a driving ban. When the police officer mentioned this, the motorist became angry and suddenly tried to grab the motorcycle police officer by the collar or neck. The police officer pinned the person to the ground by their arm. The person resisted, but the police officer managed to hold the person down and call for backup. The person continued to struggle with the police officer until another patrol showed up. The other patrol put handcuffs on the restrained person. A kitchen knife was found in the person’s pocket. 

The person is suspected of violent resistance to a public official, possession of an object or substance suitable for injuring another person, unauthorised operating of a vehicle, endangering of traffic safety and a vehicle offence.

Helsinki

In the small hours, a police patrol was called out to Malmi, where a couple who had taken a taxi were arguing about the fare with the driver. One of the passengers attempted to leave the scene and avoid dealing with the matter, after which they resisted police officers by scratching and kicking. The police patrol restrained the violent person using physical force and put handcuffs on them. The police suspect the person of violent resistance to a public official. The police officer who was scratched and kicked required medical attention.

The police found two edged weapons in the possession of the other passenger and confiscated them. This person is suspected of possession of an object suitable for injuring another person. 

Kajaani

In Kajaani, the Emergency Response Centre called out a police patrol to investigate a suspected attempted robbery and assault. When the patrol was apprehending the suspect, the person suddenly kicked one of the officers and hit the other one on the head with a fist multiple times. Both police officers sustained injuries in the incident.

The person continued to behave violently. The police officers were obliged to use a variety of forcible means equipment: taser, OC spray and a baton. 
The person was apprehended, suspected of attempted robbery, assault, vandalism and violent resistance to a public official.