Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Demark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are part of a comparative study where the laws and specific rules regulating police use of deadly force and the actual use are studied. In general, the police may use their weapons according to legal powers and for the purpose of self-defense in all countries. Police officers may thus use their firearms to intervene against some very serious forms of criminal activity and against dangerous persons, and to protect their own or others’ life. However, there are considerable differences as to policy, where the Norwegian police force is unarmed and the Finish police force have greatest assess to firearms, but also the most recent legislation. The consequences of these differences are explored in the paper.