The past year has seen "child soldiers" recruited online to carry out murders and bombings receive significant attention. The police's efforts must also follow into this environment, says Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (The Moderate Party).
He points out that the police are already conducting digital patrols in open channels and also entering closed forums.
It is absolutely crucial that this work not only continues but also develops and strengthens if we are to have an opportunity to stay one step ahead of criminals and expose those behind this type of forum, says Strömmer.
Develop Cooperation
He also emphasizes the importance of the police developing their cooperation with digital platforms so that they shut down channels where recruitment takes place.
The government wants the police to report on the measures taken in 2025 to prevent young people from being recruited into gang crime, and also how cooperation with schools and social services develops.
Strengthening cooperation between the police, schools, and social services is an absolutely crucial part of our opportunities to work preventively for children who are at risk of being drawn into crime, says Strömmer.
New Law
In the spring, a new law will come into force, which means that a number of government agencies, municipalities, regions, and schools will be required to provide information to the police upon request and on their own initiative.
However, it can be difficult for a social worker or a school leader to know what information the police are asking for. Therefore, local cooperation is important. It's not just about the police being active in requesting information, but the police should also assist various actors so that information is shared efficiently and correctly.
If there's one thing I've heard from the first day on the job, from police, school leaders, social services, it's a demand to be able to sit down together and share information, says Strömmer.
A crucial meeting place is expected to be the BOB councils, which began to be built up at the regional and local level in 2024. In BOB (children and young people in organized crime), the police, social services, child and youth psychiatry, and the Prison and Probation Service will cooperate, among others.
