Notepads in police vehicles, improved alarm systems, one single emergency phone number and more police is on the government’s list of improvements after the July 22nd Commission’s criticism.
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Minister of Justice Grete Faremo presented the government's action plan in response to the July 22nd Commission's recommendations on Wednesday. The new plans constitute an immediate investment of NOK 109 million in the country’s terror preparedness.
The initiatives are the result of what the July 22nd commission identified to be 31 specific areas of improvement in the nation’s emergency preparedness during the terror attacks in August 2011.
“It’s not a common practice to allocate money in March, but now will,” says Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. “We need this to move fast and efficient,” he explains.
The Government states that part of the money will go towards a new national, police-operated answering point. There will also be a new system used to call officers to emergency situations, more police staff, Ipads in police vehicles, and a test project for one, common emergency number.
The Government aims to achieve a minimum number of staff working at the operational answering points, never less than two officers at work in the smallest police districts, and a minimum of three staff members in the mid-sized police districts.
A new national alarm system will already be effective in April.
However, the government will not yet invest in new ICT solutions for the police, even though the Auditor General, among others, have called for better and more efficient computer equipment.
"We have to do this the right way, we have to build competency, and we have to make sure that we choose the right solutions," Faremo says.
(NRK)
Julie Ryland
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