Stricter punishments and many people deprived of liberty in several parallel investigations into gang crime in Västernorrland, where the suspects are often many, have meant that the situation in the county is very strained when it comes to access to places of detention.
Not least from May 2023 until now.
The acute shortage of places has meant that the Correctional Service has been forced to turn to the police to a greater extent than usual.
140 days in police cells in one month
During the month of December, a total of 25 detained persons were placed in detention cells in the police station in Västernorrland, who together spent a total of 140 days in the police cells.
- It is not part of our basic mission to keep detained persons.
They must have opportunities to, for example, have contact with their defenders.
And detained persons are not convicted, says Andreas Bergström.
"Have great significance"
This summer, the situation in the county was at least as difficult.
But then there was also a severe shortage of staff in the detention wards.
This meant that only the Sundsvall police house's detention department could be used, and only the cells there were available.
But locked in as locked in - does it matter so much where they are placed, perhaps common people think?
- It is of great importance, says Andreas Bergström and further develops the whole thing here in the video.