STOCKHOLM (AFP) - The small, northern Swedish town of Kramfors is set to get an unmanned "virtual" police station where residents can report a crime, file a complaint and pay fines on an interactive computer console.
If needed, residents can use a videophone to talk to "real live" police officers at the Sundsvall police station, located some 60 kilometers (35 miles) to the south, according to Vaesternorrland county police chief Per Silverliden. "Video communication can be an essential tool for police. Body language, eye contact, a person's attitude are all good sources of information," he said.
Silverliden hopes Kramfors' cyber police station will be the first of many such stations across the country. "In some cases this system could prove to be more effective than traditional police stations, which are not always equipped with the latest technology," Silverliden said. "For example, based on leads provided by a witness on a suspect vehicle, Sundsvall police officers will be able to find the exact model of the car to show the witness on a display immediately, and once confirmed, send out an arrest order to patrols," he said.
The virtual police station will enable residents to carry out their business after normal closing hours. "It is primarily a tool for residents in the rural areas of the region," said Jan Fresse of the Swedish Institute for Information Technology, adding, "The small police stations often have limited opening hours for administrative operations."
The 1.5 million tourists who each year visit the region and its nature park featured on UNESCO's world heritage list will also be able to consult maps and read about Sweden's laws in English, French, German and Flemish.
While the police station of the future will never be able to replace the flesh-and-bones cop for investigations, searches and rescue operations, it is expected to considerably reduce the workload of Kramfors' 36 overworked police officers.
"We are understaffed, especially during the summer when the tourists arrive. In the short term, we hope that users will get into the habit of handling their day-to-day business at the virtual police station," Silverliden said. "It would be a time-saver for everyone," he added.
One of the new police station's major advantages is its low cost, with an initial investment of 250,000 kronor ($30,320) and an additional 40,000 kronor per year in overhead expenses.
That is a drop in the ocean compared to the heavy cutbacks the Swedish police budget has seen in the past two years. "The recent easing of entry requirements for the police academy has not had the intended effect. We have practically no recruits," Silverliden lamented, arguing that the cyber station is the only alternative to shutting down rural police stations. Police unions have, however, expressed reservations about the system, fearing that it will be used as a pretext to cut further jobs
