National Police Union leader warns Justice Department about appointment of new PST head
Arne Johannessen, leader of the Norwegian Police Union (Politiets Fellesforbund), gave a strong warning to the Justice Department regarding the appointment of a new head of the Police Security Service (PST), the Police Union wrote on its website, pf.no.
“To hire a new PST-chief with little leader experience and no [police-]professional background from the area of responsibility of the PST is a risk sport. We cannot afford to make another miss; confidence and calm around the PST have to be created so that they can do the important job they have been assigned to do,” Johannesen said in an interview with the newspaper, Verdens Gang (VG), the Police Union writes.
“I and many others were critical when Janne Kristiansen [former head of PST] was appointed, and there was no lack of critique against the many jumps around by Storberget [the former Justice Minister]. PF (The Police Union) was very critical of the so-called [application] process. There were good applicants with strong professsional integrity and experience on the application list, but Storberget went around and got Kristiansen. I hope the politicians have learnt something from this,” Johannesen said.
The appointment of Janne Kristiansen by Knut Storberget (Labor) in 2009 as head of the Police Security service was regarded by many as a political one. Storberget was controversial as Justice Minister because of his attempts to make blasphemy illegal and to introduce the use of the hijab to the Norwegian police force. He stepped down in November 2011 after having received death threats from a group called “The Organization for a Free Norway” (Organisasjonen Fritt Norge).
Google translation:
Warns against gambling with new PST chief
23.02.2012
Arne Johannessen, head of the Joint Police Association, warns the justice minister against to gamble with the appointment of a new PST boss.
“Hiring a PST manager with little management experience and no academic background in PSTs area of responsibility is a risk sport. We can not afford another blunder, it must be created confidence and peace around the PST so that they can do the important job they are meant to do,” says Johannessen to VG….
Original article: Advarer mot å gamble med ny PST-sjef
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Related post: Head of PST steps down, PST staff do not want another political appointment
