Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarson. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
The government of Iceland has announced an increase of ISK2.5 billion ($A3 million) in the budgets of law enforcement agencies in an attempt to combat the spread of organised crime in the country.
The biggest change is the increased contribution to the police, which will amount to ISK1.4 billion ($A2 million).
Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarson said it was important that citizens saw the government was “walking the walk” as regards law enforcement and the safety of citizens.
“This will give us an opportunity to strengthen law enforcement in general, to undertake a dedicated effort to combat organised crime, to improve prison conditions, and to increase contributions to the Coast Guard,” Mr Gunnarson said.
The increased budgets are subject to approval in Parliament.
“We will be able to increase the number of teams which are involved in investigating and analysing organised crime, as well as general law enforcement,” the Minister said.
“Police in the countryside will receive a more generous budget in the new proposals.”
He said rural law enforcement did not have the resources to deal with serious incidents, whether they were crimes, man-made or natural disasters.
“We will also be looking at prison guards, their education and training, as well as the necessary protection and equipment,” Mr Gunnarson said.
“There will also be an increase in their numbers, which means we will be able to extend visiting times for children in prison.”
Reykjavik, 2 October 2023
