Violence, disruptive behaviour and noise cause house calls for the police at New Year
At New Year, police duties include maintaining public order and security. After the New Year, we often get to read reports about how the authorities have been called out because of brawls and fireworks, for example. Safety in public places, such as restaurants and public events, is a hot topic at the turn of the year because of the side effects of New Year’s celebrations.
Domestic violence and other disruptive behaviour at home is less widely publicised over the first days of January. Restaurants and outdoor celebrations are more often associated with New Year’s Eve disturbances rather than celebrations in private premises, and the associated consequences.
A year ago, the topic of a column in the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat was how almost everyone gets frantic about New Year’s Eve. “Everyone wants to do something cool, but no one really seems to know what. -- One place offers relaxed hanging out with friends, another a party with dozens of people, and the third maybe something in between.”
A lot of house calls on New Year’s Day
In January, the Emergency Response Centre Agency announced that emergency response centres received a total of 14,200 emergency calls between 6 p.m. on 31 December 2024 and midnight on 1 January 2025. Approximately one half of these, that is, 7,000 emergency response tasks, were forwarded to the authorities.
43 per cent of the tasks were assigned to the police. The three most common emergency response tasks recorded in the emergency response centre information system for the police were: vandalism, a violation of the Public Order Act or other disruptive behaviour, domestic violence and an intoxicated person.
Although in public debate, Christmas is considered the time when violence occurs in Finnish homes and the police get numerous house calls, house calls and domestic violence are common over the New Year as well. According to police statistics, among all public holidays, the police handle the highest number of house calls specifically at the New Year.
In 2022–2024, the police got an average of 278 house calls on New Year’s Eve, of which approximately 35 per cent were primarily related to violence. On New Year’s Day, the average number of these tasks was 442, of which approximately 40 per cent involved violence. All in all, the police have attended to an average of approximately 720 house calls on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. About one fifth (18%) of all house calls are recorded between one and three o'clock at night on New Year’s Eve. Of individual holidays, house calls are clearly most common specifically on New Year’s Day.
The number of house calls varies by region
In relation to the population, in recent years (2022-2024), the police have received the most house calls at the turn of the year (per 100,000 residents) in Lapland, Kainuu and Northern and Southern Savo. The number of house calls has been lowest in Ostrobothnia, Uusimaa and Southwest Finland.
Of the 15 largest cities in Finland, the number of house calls at New Year per population (per 10,000 inhabitants) has been highest in Joensuu and Kuopio. The same cities are also at the forefront regarding the number of house calls involving violence. Of the large cities, the number of house calls due to noise has been highest in Vaasa and Jyväskylä. Of all municipalities, Kittilä has had the highest number of house calls, and especially those related to noise.
Regarding the statistics concerning house calls, it should be noted that not all tasks eventually involve domestic violence, for example, even if they were originally recorded in the systems as a house call related to violence. Sometimes people tend to exaggerate their neighbour's disruptive behaviour when calling the emergency services, in order to get the police to arrive quickly. In regional statistics, it should also be taken into account that the regions' population figures include the permanent population only and people having travelled to another region due to holidays and celebrations are not taken into account.
Midsummer and Christmas are also busy times for the police due to house calls
According to statistics, key holidays in terms of house calls also include Midsummer Eve and Midsummer Day, All Saints' Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Epiphany. House calls due to disturbing noise are common particularly on All Saints' Day and Epiphany.
During the Christmas season, on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the police receive almost the same number of house calls in total as within 48 hours over the New Year. According to the Emergency Response Centre Agency, about one third (32%) of all emergency calls assigned by them were allocated to the police last Christmas. At that time, almost the same types of tasks as over the New Year, that is, vandalism or disruptive behaviour, domestic violence and other tasks related to individual protection were most frequent.
Sources
Hannus, Tanja: During Christmas, the police investigated a large number of house calls in Southeastern Finland –the background being the use of intoxicants. Yle News 27 December 2024. Poliisi selvitteli joulun aikana runsaasti kotihälytyksiä Kaakkois-Suomessa – taustalla päihteiden käyttöä | Etelä-Karjala | Yle
Emergency Response Centre Agency: 14,200 calls were made to the emergency number at the turn of the year. Press release 2 January 2025. 14,200 calls were made to the emergency number at the turn of the year - Emergency Response Centre Agency
Mikkilä, Lotta: At New Year, my circle of friends starts competing for party invitations. Column. Helsingin Sanomat 29 December 2023. Uutenavuotena kaveripiirissäni alkaa juhlakutsujen kilpailuttaminen | HS.fi
The Police: Helsinki Police is maintaining public order and safety in Helsinki on New Year's Eve. News item, 29 December 2023. Helsinki Police is maintaining public order and safety in Helsinki on New Year’s Eve
Rautanen, Sari: Fireworks were fired at people and buildings, one person suffered serious eye injury. Aamulehti 1 January 2025. Ilotulitteet työllistivät viranomaisia uutena vuotena - Aamulehti
