A review will be launched into the development project of the firearms information system of the Finnish police. The deadline for the review is at the end of June 2025.
The National Police Board will appoint an investigation group at the beginning of 2025. The investigation group's work will start as soon as the group has been appointed. The purpose of the review is to assess the implementation method and scope of the project as well as the various options and their costs to provide a sound basis for decisions.
The core objective of the project, which is to meet the requirements of firearms legislation, has been achieved. Monitoring the entire life cycle of firearms and their components helps the police in preventing serious crime. The new firearms information system would improve the police’s ability to monitor permit holders' compliance with deadlines and to intervene in deviations immediately. Electronic services provide equal services in matters related to firearms permits throughout Finland and reduce the need for on-site services.
The project will now be reviewed particularly from the point of view of productivity. One of the police’s productivity targets is to manage the increase in ICT costs.
“The project has managed to implement the requirements laid down in firearms legislation. Now that the productivity programme has started, we will have to review ICT expenses within the police, particularly from the input-output perspective. The various options for how to proceed, resulting from the review, will be presented in a report by 30 June 2025 at the latest. The National Police Board will then decide on how to proceed. We will also investigate how the firearms information system could and should be developed in the future," says Tapio Aaltonen, Director of Technology at the Technology Unit of the National Police Board.
The project itself has been suspended for the duration of the review. The project’s implementation work and purchases will stop for the duration of the review, for reasons independent of ICT suppliers.
The police commit approximately 135 person work years every year to the processing of firearms permit matters. The police’s firearms information system contains information on, for example, firearms, firearms permits and their holders, as well as firearms business licences and notifications of operators in the firearms trade.
The e-services implemented for customers by the project have already been taken into use. The police have opened electronic services aimed at individuals and businesses gradually since 19 September 2023.
Both private customers' and businesses and organizations' key applications and notifications related to firearms can be processed in the police e-services. The use of the electronic services that have already been opened will continue.
