How do the emergency conditions and the coronavirus situation affect police operations, public order and safety, and criminality? The police will begin publishing regular video reports on the current situation and its developments nationwide.
These situation reports will be published on the police’s social media channels twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays. The purpose of the videos is to provide up-to-date information to both citizens and the media. The first video has been published today on 20 March 2020. In addition, the police has published a video today on its social media channels to clarify in plain language the rules regarding the restrictions on public gatherings.
In today’s situation report, Deputy National Police Commissioner Sanna Heikinheimo from the National Police Board tells that during the past week, the police has considered the police’s operating models and the way police operations are organised. For example, the police has looked into increasing the use of electronic services in order to avoid physical contact while providing services also to people belonging to risk groups.
“In Järvenpää, for example, they are providing services to people in risk groups in the mornings,” says Heikinheimo.
The police recommends that people primarily use the police’s online services, such as reporting an offence and licence services. The national police helpline provides information via telephone. In order to minimise the risk of infection, the police asks people to visit police stations in person only in cases where it is absolutely necessary.
Upward trend in domestic disturbance calls, property crimes on the decline
With the emergency conditions in force for just slightly less than one week, it is not yet possible to conduct an in-depth analysis of how the situation influences police assignments. However, within one week, the police has seen a slight nationwide increase in the number of domestic disturbance calls and a decrease in the number of the property crimes in comparison to the previous years.
Heikinheimo reminds that criminals will try to take advantage of the situation by attempting various types of fraud both in person and online.
“In this situation, the same instructions apply as for protecting yourself against any kind of fraud; you should always regard any contact attempts by unknown parties with a healthy suspicion,” Heikinheimo says.
Finnish people have followed the directions well
According to Heikinheimo, the police monitors the restrictions alongside its other duties. From the police’s point of view, Finnish people have followed the directions and prohibitions well. No intervention by the police, with the exception of giving advice, has been necessary.
“We should all follow the directions and prohibitions issued to prevent the spreading of the virus. If something is unclear, you should contact the authorities for further instructions,” Heikinheimo says.
The police will publish the next situation report on Monday. Several questions and answers regarding the emergency conditions are already available on the police’s Coronavirus info website: poliisi.fi/coronavirus_info (in English)
