STOCKHOLM ANNUAL CRIME EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000110 DS/TIA/ITA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC PTER SUBJECT: STOCKHOLM ANNUAL CRIME EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE (ACEQ) SPRING 2009 REF: STATE 13020 -------------- ANNUAL CRIME EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE (ACEQ) -------------- ¶1. (U) CRIME MOBILITY (INTO EMBOFF NEIGHBORHOODS): (B) CRIMINAL ELEMENTS GENERALLY CONCENTRATE THEIR ACTIVITIES IN HIGH-CRIME AREAS BUT SOMETIMES ENTER NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS TO BURGLARIZE RESIDENCES. Burglars in Sweden tend to capitalize on unoccupied houses in "low crime areas" during the course of the summer months, and times when many Swedes are on holiday from Stockholm during other parts of the year. Statistical evidence also suggests that burglars still look for "soft targets", e.g. houses that have doors and windows which are not secured. ¶2. (U) CRIME AMBIENCE (AROUND EMBOFF NEIGHBORHOODS): EMBOFF NEIGHBORHOODS ARE: (A) SURROUNDED BY LOW-CRIME BUFFER ZONES, WHICH DETER CRIMINAL ELEMENTS FROM ENTERING EMBOFF NEIGHBORHOODS. Because Stockholm is a small city, it is possible to be the victim of a property crime no matter what part of the city one resides. ¶3. (U) AGGRESSIVENESS OF CRIMINALS: CRIMINAL PERPETRATORS USUALLY: (B) COMMIT STREET CRIMES AND BURGLARIES BUT RELY ON STEALTH DURING BURGLARIES. CRIMINALS WILL ALSO ENTER HOMES THAT ARE OCCUPIED BY THE RESIDENT. Robbery of a person is much less likely to occur in Sweden than a property crime. However, statistics show that that criminals will still enter homes with residents present to commit theft. ¶4. (U) ARMING OF CRIMINALS CRIMINAL PERPETRATORS USUALLY ARE: (A) UNARMED OR ARMED WITH NON-LETHAL WEAPONS. WEAPONS ARE ILLEGAL AND NOT USUALLY USED IN CRIMES. THERE ARE REPORTS OF WEAPONS BEING USED IN THE LOCAL PRESS EVERY DAY. CRIMES WITH WEAPONS TEND TO BE THE EXCEPTION, NOT THE RULE. ¶5. (U) AGGREGATION OF CRIMINALS CRIMINAL PERPETRATORS USUALLY: (B) OPERATE IN GROUPS OF TWO TO FOUR INDIVIDUALS, ARE PREPARED TO BE CONFRONTATIONAL, BUT GENERALLY AVOID GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE. Criminals are usually operating in areas where there are large crowds, such as public transit terminals and shopping centers. Criminals often get one person to distract the victim and use a second person to steal a package, purse or some other item from the victim while they are distracted. Violent confrontation is rare. ¶6. (U) DETERRENCE/RESPONSE OF POLICE: (C) LOCAL POLICE OR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ARE GENERALLY INEFFECTIVE AT DETERRING CRIME, AND RESPONSE TO ALARMS OR EMERGENCY CALLS ARE OFTEN TOO SLOW (15 MINUTES OR LONGER) TO DISRUPT BURGLARIES OR INVASIVE CRIMES IN PROGRESS IN EMBOFF NEIGHBORHOODS. POLICE HAVE MEDIOCRE TO POOR RECORD IN APPREHENDING SUSPECTS AFTER THE FACT. THE OVERALL POLICE SUPPORT IS AVERAGE. THE COURT SYSTEM IS POOR AND CRIMINALS KNOW THAT IT IS UNLIKELY THEY WILL GET CAUGHT. IF CAUGHT, THEY ALSO KNOW PUNISHMENT WILL BE LIGHT. It is common to wait thirty minutes to get a police response to a call for assistance. Swedish Police do not maintain a visible presence in most EMOFF neighborhoods, and deterrence is not a primary strategy to prevent residential crime. The lack of resources creates the long wait time for a police response. The slow police response in addition to the delay of crime scene processing helps ensure that most property crimes remain unsolved. ¶7. (U) TRAINING/PROFESSIONALISM OF POLICE (B) POLICE ARE GENERALLY PROFESSIONAL AND REASONABLY WELL TRAINED BUT MAY HAVE RESOURCE/MANPOWER LIMITATIONS THAT INHIBIT THEIR DETERRENCE OR RESPONSE EFFECTIVENESS. Sweden's police services are very professional and seem to be well trained, but are not recruited or deployed in volumes that guarantee quick or decisive response to a non-violent security incidents. Additionally, there does not seem to be a sense of urgency to process crime scenes for evidence to non-violent incidents. SILVERMAN