Finns part chairman, Jussi Halla-aho warned years ago about smoking ghettos…
Swedish police warn Finland – IL: “Wake up now”
According to Swedish police, gang crime could be prevented.
Swedish police report in an interview with the Iltalehti about gang crime and problem neighborhoods and warn Finland about such developments. Police officers Emelie Tjäder and Kalle Johansson, working in Gothenburg’s most problematic neighborhoods, tell the IL about violence and intimidation directed at the police and the culture of silence that prevents crime.
According to spokesperson for police organization western area, Katharina von Sydow, a major mistake in Sweden has been the failure to take the signs of gang crime development seriously enough.
“In regions with lower socio-economic status and high unemployment, it may be difficult to find a place in society,” von Sydow tells the IL.
Emelie Tjäder and Kalle Johansson urge Finland to take timely action to prevent strong regional segregation. According to police, this would require investment in schools and social services to address exclusion and drug problems in a timely manner. In their view, preventing problems is much easier than repairing them.
Jörgen Thorén, regional manager for Hisingen, reminds Finland of failures in tackling drug crime.
– It is important to prevent segregation in every way. Another major breeding ground for gang crime is the emergence of drug trafficking. These problems must be addressed in a timely manner.
Jonne Rinne, Chairman of the Federation of Finnish Police Organizations, says that the message from Swedish colleagues is clear – the criminal gangs should not be given power.
“What they are telling us is,” Wake up now, you have preventative leeway, so that it doesn’t happen like in Sweden that you have to make huge investments, “Rinne says.
