| In many aspects there are great similarities between the Norwegian and Swedish societies. However, as to policing Norway is one of the few countries with an unarmed police force. Weapons are stored at police stations or in patrol cars and may be used in self-defense or in case of need by permission of a police commissioner. By contrast, Swedish police officers carry handguns as part of the uniform. The comprehensive question is what the difference in availability of guns really means as to number of shootings and ultimately, in number of hurt and killed persons. The data consists of all reported incidents in the two countries where guns have been used by police officers in service, covering the period from 1985 to 1999. In the studied period about 450 incidents with shootings occur-red in Sweden, with 15 persons killed by police officer's fire. The corresponding value from Norway is about 50 incidents and 4 persons killed. Even considering that Sweden has about double the Norwegian population, a tentative conclusion points to the great importance of the availability factor. |
Updated 05/20/2006