| National Police Commissioner of the Swedish Police Authority | |
|---|---|
| Rikspolischef | |
 Epaulette worn for the grade of National Police Commissioner (post-2015) | |
| Swedish Police Authority (2015-) National Police Board (1965-2014) | |
| Reports to | Government of Sweden |
| Seat | Polishuset, Kungsholmen, Stockholm |
| Appointer | Government of Sweden |
| Term length | 6 years option to extended up to 3 years |
| Formation | 1965 |
| First holder | Carl Persson |
| Deputy | Head of the National Operations Department |
| Website | Official website |
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The National Police Commissioner of Sweden (Swedish: rikspolischef) is the head of the Swedish Police Authority, appointed by the Government, responsible for all activities of the police. The current Commissioner is Anders Thornberg, who began serving February 15, 2018.[1]
Role
The office was created with the establishment of the National Police Board and the nationalization of the Swedish police in 1965.[2] The Commissioner is appointed by the Government for a period of six years, with an option to extend, but as a rule for no more than three years. The person holding the office must be a Swedish citizen.[3] Beyond that, the Government has considerable latitude in the recruitment of a new Commissioner, as the only legal framework is a single article in the constitution, leaving wide room for interpretation: "Appointments to posts at administrative authorities [organized] under the Government are made by the Government [...] When making appointments to posts within the State administration, only objective factors, such as merit and competence, shall be taken into account."[4][lower-alpha 1] The government has the power to dismiss a Commissioner for "extraordinary" and serious reasons, or if it's "in the nation's best interest." The Commissioner may also be reassigned to a different post, if called for due to organizational change, but only after a court decision.[3][4]
List of National Police Commissioners
The current Commissioner is Anders Thornberg.
- List of commissioners
The following lists commissioners in chronological order:[2]
- 1964–1978: Carl Persson
- 1978–1987: Holger Romander
- January 1988 – October 1988: Nils Erik Åhmansson
- 1988–1996: Björn Eriksson
- 1996–2004: Sten Heckscher
- 2005–2007: Stefan Strömberg
- 2008–2014: Bengt Svenson
- 2014–2018: Dan Eliasson
- 2018–2023: Anders Thornberg
- 2023–present: Petra Lundh
Notes
- ↑ See the official translation of the constitution at the Riksdag website: 1974 Instrument of Government, Chapter 12, Art. 5
References
- ↑ Eichinger, Ronald (20 November 2014). "Dalabördig ny rikspolischef". Dalarnas Tidningar (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 August 2015.
- 1 2 "Rikspolisstyrelsen". Nationalencyklopedin (in Swedish). Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- 1 2 "SFS 1994:260 Lag om offentlig anställning" [Public Employment Act] (in Swedish). Government of Sweden. 28 April 1994. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
- 1 2 Österberg, Sven-Erik (23 November 2009). "Sverige förtjänar en professionell utnämningspolitik" (PDF) (in Swedish). Swedish Social Democratic Party. Retrieved 28 July 2015.