Under the heading "New measures against gang crime" in November, the police presented several news: a national investigation center and an update of the methodological support - the police's handbook for how to investigate serious crimes.

"We are constantly sharpening our working methods to adapt them to what crime looks like.

In order to more quickly make use of the experiences gained in the operational work around shootings and explosions, we are building a knowledge center", it was stated in a press release.

The package of measures was a response to a critical report by the authority's own auditors, which concluded that the current handbook was not being used as intended.

The auditors had been told that "there is a lack of competence and resources to be able to fully apply the method support".

Now, however, the problems would be fixed.

Some parts were stated to be already underway and others should be in place by the summer of 2023.

The decision took a year

However, one thing was not clear from the press release: over a year had passed since the auditors sent their findings to the national police chief - and Anders Thornberg made his decision.

However, it is clear in the report itself: "The request for obtaining proposed measures was sent to the RPC office on September 28, 2021. The head of the National Police decided on measures on October 26, 2022."

According to SVT's sources, there has long been an internal dissatisfaction with the police leadership repeatedly delaying measures when shortcomings and risks have been brought to the attention of, for example, the internal audit.

The Riksdag member directs criticism

Anders Thornberg writes in a comment to SVT that "Sometimes the work with gathering measures takes a long time, this was the case, for example, with the review of the method support Pug where extensive work was already underway to increase the ability to investigate serious violent crimes in a gang environment.

In order to achieve a faster process, we are now working according to a new routine."

Member of Parliament Fredrik Kärrholm (M) has himself worked as a police officer and is critical of police management on several points.

- It is too diffuse decisions and strategies.

The police force is made up of lions, but from time to time the leadership of the police appears rather like a donkey.