Police Halt Distraction Grenade Use
Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

Police Halt Distraction Grenade Use After Fatal Training Accident

The police are pausing the use of distraction grenades in training contexts after last week's fatal accident during a training exercise for police employees outside Motala, reports P4 Östergötland. A good decision, says the Police Union's national chief safety representative Patrik Danielsson to TT.

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Patrik Danielsson explains that the decision was made in consultation with the police's national operational department (Noa).

One has imposed a usage ban on distraction grenades during exercises with figure actors until the investigation is completed and can determine what happened and what went wrong, he says.

In the accident on Thursday, a man in his 55s died. Patrik Danielsson emphasizes that the decision is not about anticipating the investigation and pointing out that a distraction grenade caused the death.

It's a precautionary measure, so that nothing else happens in a training context until we know, he says.

The death occurred in connection with the police practicing at the Swedish Armed Forces' facility for urban warfare. According to information to TT, it was a so-called distraction grenade that caused the death.

Distraction grenades are used by, among others, police to disrupt or distract people, but are not normally supposed to cause more serious injuries.

The deceased was not employed by the Police Authority, but participated in the exercise as a volunteer.

The incident is being investigated by the Special Prosecution Chamber, which investigates crimes related to, among other things, police. The Swedish Armed Forces are also investigating the incident.

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AuthorTT News AgencyEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for our readers
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