7.7.2026 | Online sexual violence directed at children is becoming more common – prevention requires open discussion and vigilance

Bullying at school can be a crime A nasty phenomenon in the school world is bullying. Bullying comes in many forms. It can be mental violence by shutting someone out of a group, name-calling, or physical violence. Nowadays bullying often occurs th...

Theft and petty theft Stealing another person’s property is a theft. Theft is punishable only when it is intentional. The perpetrator must know that the property belongs to someone else. Attempted theft is also punishable. In addition, a person fo...

Sex offences In 2021, nearly 5,400 sexual offences were reported to the Police of Finland, much more than half of which were targeted at children. In addition, the Police of Finland investigated more than 850 offences related to sexual imagery of ...

Crimes come in many forms The common denominator is that crimes violate someone else’s rights. The channels and phenomena of offences change and evolve often in time with technological progress. In this section, you will find information on the mo...

Educational visits and open days The National Police Board’s staff can be invited to talk about police work at schools, nurseries, parents’ evenings, trade fairs and other similar events. Engaging in this kind of cooperation with schools and youth...

8.7.2025 | Parents of missing family remanded in absentia – police continue search efforts

Youth work The police is actively involved in a multidisciplinary network of professionals dedicated to promoting the well-being of children and adolescents and preventing crime. The network also seeks to prevent violent extremism and radicalisati...

Young offenders The minimum age of criminal liability in Finland is 15 years. Pre-trial investigations into crimes committed by children under 15 years of age are closed automatically in the absence of criminal liability. The police’s pre-trial in...

4.7.2025 | The Police in Ostrobothnia request that the parents of the missing family be remanded in custody in absentia

What does trafficking in human beings mean? Human trafficking does not mean a sale as a single event. Human trafficking is a process of exploitation, where the perpetrator tries to gain financial profit by subjugating the victim by different means...

9.1.2026 | In December, the Helsinki Police Department responded to several emergency calls related to TikTok challenges, in which children as young as 10 attempted to climb onto dangerous locations such as apartment building roofs.

Public disturbances The investigation of various disturbances and offences related to them is part of the police’s duties. Typically, security stewarding duties are performed by uniformed police officers. Public disturbances can occur anywhere peo...

Preventive operations at Oulu Police Department Photo by: Paula Tavasti Policing also includes crime and disturbance prevention. This is a part of the usual work of the police, but we also have various preventive operations such as Anchor work, co...

4.6.2026 | Intensified police surveillance during the final week of the school year has already become a tradition and the focus also this year was on proactive surveillance during school hours ahead of the end-of-school weekend. In addition to increased surveillance over the weekend, police officers were actively present in schoolyards, including during breaktimes.

18.7.2025 | During the summer of 2025, the police have received several cases for investigation, in which a child who has gone into water has been in danger of death or died in the water. The police emphasise that it is the parents’ responsibility to take care of their children. Small children and especially children who cannot swim must be looked after constantly, and water safety equipment in accordance with the law must be provided, such as life jackets when boating.

6.5.2026 | The Police and the Finnish Road Safety Council inspected child safety seats in April and found room for improvement in terms of keeping children safe in cars. The Police issued 14 traffic penalty fees and six fines.

26.5.2026 | Helsinki pupils will celebrate the end of their school year, and the police will be on hand during the festivities

10.3.2026 | There has been a sharp rise in the number of suspected sexual offences reported to the police where the perpetrator is a minor. According the National Police Board’s statistics for 2025, the number of suspected criminal offences committed by under-15s has increased by 78 per cent in five years. Among 15- to 17-year-olds, the number has increased by 63 per cent.

Frequently asked questions about money collection and money collection permits When is a money collection permit required? A money collection permit is required if you intend to ask the public to donate money without giving them anything in return...