This week, the government is expected to present its bill to enable so-called visitation zones, where the police, according to the investigator’s proposal, would have the right to body search people without reasonable suspicion of a crime.
The measure is one of Tidöpartieren’s most discussed to combat gang crime. It draws inspiration from a similar Danish law which, according to the country’s police, has been a good tool for getting access to gang criminals.
The warning: “Ethnic profiling”
The Crime Prevention Council and the Judicial Ombudsman believe that the proposal risks leading to discrimination against people with a foreign background.
The Discrimination Ombudsman goes even further and says no to the proposal, which it believes could lead to “ethnic profiling that is not objectively justified and therefore constitutes discrimination.”
The concern is also shared by several residents that SVT Agenda spoke to.
– First you should have proof. Some may feel insecure because of it. You are singled out as having done something wrong, says Muhammed.
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Hear young people about the visitation zones: “They need to have prejudices about who they take”. Photo: Mikael Eriksson
The police authority is positive
Some police officers believe that the Police Act already provides sufficient opportunities for searches, but the Swedish Police Agency has taken a positive view of the proposal.
According to Järva Police Hanif Azizi, officers will not be able to search people arbitrarily, as it would have turned ordinary citizens against them.
– The checks themselves may not increase, but it will be much easier for police officers to carry out the checks. You don’t have to work up the suspicions in the same way, he says.
After the proposal is presented, it is submitted to the Legislative Council, which then reviews the law to see if it conflicts with other laws.