Licence Administration works for society

Chief of Licence Services (lupapäällikkö), acting Head of Sector (sektorinjohtaja) Minna Lifländer
Southeastern Finland Police Department, police services, licence administration sector
MA

As Chief of Licence Services and Head of the Licence Administration Sector, I lead, develop and monitor the activities of our licence sector. I’m also the licence administration sector supervisor (lupahallintosektorin esihenkilö), and my duties include responsibility for implementing the strategic guidelines of the police department and for the coordination and development of its activities with regard to the sector. I’m a member of various national working groups that develop the Licence Administration. My work also includes giving opinions on matters such as complaints. 

In my current role, I can draw on a wide range of experience that I have accumulated over twenty years in the police service.

I started my career in the police as a translator while I was still finishing my master's degree. I then moved to the customer service department of the Licence Administration, where I was also responsible for applications for driving licences. I also took on managerial responsibilities as a deputy to our supervisor (esihenkilömme sijainen). Working in police customer service provided me with an effective introduction to the processes and types of licences and permits in the Licence Administration.

I moved from customer service to the licence supervision side, working as an inspector and commanding officer supervisor in the licence team (luparyhmän päällystöesihenkilönä). I was responsible in particular for the resolution of criminal driving offences. During those years, I also learnt about with the special features of the private security sector and decisions concerning public events.

These past years I’ve worked as chief of licence services (lupapäällikkö). My permanent position is that of commanding officer supervisor in the licence team (luparyhmän päällystöesihenkilönä), whose duties include leading, developing and supervising the activities of the licence team and providing concrete solutions to licence matters addressed to commanding officers (päällystö). The post of chief of licence services (lupapäällikkö) provides an opportunity to perform a variety of commanding officer-level duties in the police service. Long experience of a variety of roles in Licence Administration and a sound knowledge of the types of licence is of great benefit in the work of both chief of licence services and head of sector. 

There is no single educational pathway to becoming chief of licence services and it may well be that the job title is still relatively new to many people.

I have an MA in languages and a BBA specialising in business. Over the years, I’ve built on my skills by completing various training at the National Police Board. My employer has offered various courses and supervisor training on administrative procedures and the application of the Administrative Procedure Act and other legislation. Working as a translator for the police in the early years of my career, I learnt about both the day-to-day life in the field and investigations alike. Understanding the duties of other sectors in the police has certainly been helpful.

Learning about the work of the Licence Administration

For many, the Licence Administration of the National Police Board is the only area of policing that they become personally familiar with at some point in their lives. Almost all of us will visit the Licence Administration during our lives, whether we’re just applying for a passport or identity card or a matter concerning the right to drive. However, very few people know what the Licence Administration does. The Licence Administration is tasked with preventing crimes and disturbances to public order and security in society by means of licence supervision: the main duties include travel documents, firearms permits and matters concerning public events. Our line of work is quite extensive and diverse, although passport and ID card matters arise most often. 

The Licence Administration of the National Police Board works closely with other areas of policing, i.e. surveillance and emergency operations, and crime prevention. Other cooperation between authorities, such as healthcare or the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, is also part of the everyday work of Licence Administration. A good example of seamless cooperation is matters related to driving licence permits. We at the Licence Administration of the National Police Board deal with offence-based driving bans, such as the consequences of driving while intoxicated, causing a serious traffic hazard and repeated traffic offences. In addition, Licence Administration handles health-based right to drive matters.

One important part of the activities of the Licence Administration of the National Police Board is the processing of permits and notifications related to public events. As a rule, organisers of public events must notify the local police of them. Typical public events include various sports competitions, concerts and festivities intended for the public. The number of participants alone does not determine the need for a permit, and an overall assessment is made when the matter is processed.

We are also responsible for supervising and inspecting the activities of licence and permit holders, such as business inspections of firearms dealers and the private security sector, as well as shooting range inspections. The Licence Administration is also involved in the development of preventive police activities.

Licence supervision work may not be visible to the outside world and the media in the same way as operational policing, but through licence supervision, we carry out meaningful administrative crime prevention and preventive activities as part of the police services policy. Our work in the Licence Administration is contributing to building the foundations of Finland's internal security.

As a commanding officer with a civilian background, I feel that I have had great opportunities in my career. In Licence Administration, you get to work for the benefit of society, and that's something I continue to be excited about every day