In the last two years, the number of so-called vulnerable areas in Sweden has increased. This despite the fact that two years ago, rikspolischef Dan Eliasson promised to take back control in several areas.

Via: sverigesradio.se

In an interview with Sveriges Radio Ekot , he now acknowledges that he has failed. At the same time, he blames the development of an “ignorance” of the country’s decision makers.

Two years ago, Governor Dan Eliasson sat in Ekot’s Saturday interview and promised that the police under his control would take back so-called vulnerable areas in Sweden.

During 2015 and 2016, the police would retrieve several areas that had been controlled by criminal gangs, said the National Police Chief.

According to Ekot, his statement was a “very concrete promise”.

But with the hand in hand, Dan Eliasson has not been able to live up to that promise. The areas have not decreased. They are not even at the same level as then but on the contrary have increased.

According to a police report from June 2017, there are 61 areas classified as police with a total of 5,000 criminal activities in 200 networks. Of the 61 areas, 23 are classified as particularly vulnerable, which is eight more than in the previous report from 2015.

In an interview today, Dan Eliasson acknowledges that he could not keep his promise. He also believes that the vulnerable areas increase because the country’s decision makers do not dare to realize how big and serious the problem is.

“There is some ignorance, there may be a belief that this does not look like Sweden, it does not match our self-image,” he told Ekot on Saturday.

At the same time, he is still optimistic and believes that new methods and more policemen can reverse the trend. He points out that the police are currently moving more resources to the suburbs and setting up camera surveillance in insecure areas. Previously, the issue was handled at national level, but now it is being combated by special people at local level, he explains. In addition, the police cooperate with other authorities, including the Employment Service and the Social Security Fund, in the vulnerable areas.

However, he does not want a new promise as to when the areas are to be reduced.

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