Police operational results have developed positively – the work of supervisors is a strength

- Police operational results at the beginning of the year have developed mainly in a positive direction. Overall, police operations have strengthened especially in combating serious crime and in the availability of services, says National Police Commissioner Ilkka Koskimäki.

- Processing times, the real-time nature of investigations and ensuring regional equality still require further measures.

Last week, the National Police Board held interim performance discussions with the heads of police units. The discussions assessed the achievement of targets and priorities for the remainder of the year.

Clearance rates for violent crime have improved

The clearance rate for violent and robbery offences has improved from 64 per cent to 71 per cent.

- Serious crimes have been solved more quickly than before, and last year criminal cycles were broken at an early stage. For example, the sharp increase in youth crime in 2023–2024 was halted through intensified investigations and targeted measures, says Chief Superintendent Minna Ketola.

- It now appears again that youth crime has returned to a growth path of a few per cent, and measures that have proven effective must be continued and further intensified.

The police also have legislative proposals under preparation that would enable necessary measures, particularly in cases involving serious offences committed by minors, to counter negative developments.

More aggravated narcotics offences are being uncovered than before, and the size of individual seizures has increased. A large proportion of drug use offences are detected in connection with traffic enforcement, particularly cases of driving under the influence of drugs.

Progress has been made in identifying domestic violence. The police make approximately 950 crime reports and child welfare notifications per month. This represents an increase of around 200 reports per month since national guidelines were updated. Slightly more than 50 temporary restraining orders are issued per month.

Response times have improved while the number of assignments has increased

Response times for urgent emergency assignments have improved, even as their number has increased.

- In concrete terms, this means that the police arrive on scene faster, even though there are more urgent assignments than before, says Chief Superintendent Sami Hätönen.

Police supervision and preventive work are also more visible in everyday life than before.

- The share of self-initiated assignments has risen to at least 50 per cent in almost all units. Police patrols actively visit schools and daycare centres and are therefore increasingly present among young people. This also enables early intervention in disturbances.

The number of removals from the country and refusals of entry has increased.

- Operations are now guided by a more precise situational picture. A specific example is refusals of entry based on public order and security grounds, which are used to prevent, for example, professional criminals or individuals known to be violent from entering the country.

Electronic services have reached a new level. Of police permit services, 78.9 per cent are handled electronically.

Processing of crime reports remains a bottleneck

Seven out of ten crime reports are resolved within less than one month. The target set is even more ambitious, at 75–80 per cent.

- The target is not achieved in all cases due, for example, to additional clarifications required for crime reports and delays in responses to these requests, Minna Ketola notes.

Real-time investigation of offences involving young people and children also remains a challenge, and investigation times have increased. At the beginning of the year, suspicions of violent offences committed by young people increased by eight per cent, and youth crime overall by 3.5 per cent.

The increase adds to the investigative workload and makes rapid processing more difficult, even though investigations have been centralised and developed in several units.

In sparsely populated areas, patrols may have longer response times

Regional differences inevitably affect the level of police services. In sparsely populated areas, response times have remained below targets despite development measures, due to long distances and limited resources.

- The impact on individual assignments can be significant, even though the national average has remained at a good level, says Sami Hätönen.

As part of improving the smoothness and speed of criminal investigations, enhancing customer service and reducing investigative caseloads, investigative measures have increasingly been carried out already by field patrols.

Investigative measures conducted by field patrols improve the quality of police services and speed up pre-trial investigations. Progress in this respect has been made at every police department.

The work of immediate supervisors is one of the police’s strengths

According to the police personnel barometer, the work of immediate supervisors is one of the organisation’s strengths. The national focus is on people-oriented and professional leadership. This objective is based on the development theme chosen by the police and, more broadly, on the Government Personnel Strategy 2030.

- Since last year, the key development focus has been work ability management. Supervisors support work ability in day-to-day leadership and address challenges at an early stage. Solutions are sought together with employees, says Director of Administration Kati Korpi.

Police supervisors have been trained in work ability management. Occupational health services provide support to help prevent excessive workload in demanding duties.
The police also monitor violence and threat situations directed at personnel more closely than before. The aim is to improve situational awareness and develop occupational safety.

Supervisors give a promise of good leadership

The promise of good leadership was introduced last year, and its implementation is being continued. Managing work ability in everyday operations is a normal part of daily leadership for all supervisors.

Heads of police units are committed to leading in accordance with values, the ethical code and occupational well-being. Our leadership is people-oriented and ensures productivity and effective operations, Korpi says.

Sickness absence in the police has remained at the same level in recent years, at approximately 11 days per full-time equivalent. For sworn police officers, the figure is slightly below 10 days.
At the beginning of the year, absences among police officers have decreased slightly. The most common cause of sickness absence among police personnel overall is musculoskeletal disorders.