Chief of police on Kristianstad: 'Gang criminality and deadly violence'

Since 2015 local chiefs of police in the Blekinge / Northeast Skåne police district have come and gone. All except Anders Olofsson. Until now. He is leaving in the spring, as has been his intention all along.

Eight years, or two four-year appointments, have passed, and that is a long time, he reasons. It's time for him to hand over to someone else and find a new challenge within the police.

– What can top that? ! Leading an extensive local police district in a time full of challenges, he says with a laugh.

He is stepping down from his position as chief to be an administrator at the regional police headquarters in Malmö, and is taking up his new role respectfully, knowing that he will be able to make use of the experience he has gained.

Being chief of police is an exceptionally fine job, Anders Olofsson thinks.The local Kristianstad police district has approximately 160 employees, 20 more than when Anders Olofsson took up his position. He believes he is leaving a well-functioning basic organisation his colleagues can be pleased with.

– I feel quite satisfied, I'm handing over with a good feeling inside.

Among the priorities during his time as local chief of police there is the focus group with police who work to combat drug-related problems, the group of district police who are ready to step in in problem areas, and the fact that there are now two municipal police officers instead of one.

– As long as we're honest about our priorities and why we make them, people understand us. The development of lawlessness has been tough. Kristianstad has been hard hit by gang criminality and fatal violence.

What happened when young perpetrators fired at a crowd of people outside Gamlegård Centre on 3rd August 2021 made a deep impression on him. 'Total indifference' and 'senseless violence' are words that he uses.

This act of violence, and when a dog-handler colleague was killed in a traffic accident, are events which have etched themselves fast in his mind.

In 2015 Anders Olofsson was driven by a desire to make the police morer visible in the local community. But a reality that not many people could imagine, caught up with us.

First of all the wave of refugees, when police resources from all over the country were sent to take part in controlling the borders. And then organised crime escalated, with shootings and gang criminality right on our doorstep.

– Not until now, when there are more and more police, can I begin to see conditions that can enable us to reach the level of ambition we had in 2015.