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

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ANNUAL CRIME EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE (ACEQ)
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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