Norway’s right-wing Progress Party (Frp) is calling for a fast-track training scheme for armed personnel to take over routine security duties, citing growing pressure on police resources.
The proposal comes as concerns mount over a deepening staffing crisis. More than 1,000 police officers have left the force over the past four years, while authorities warn that threats from organised criminal networks are increasing.
Frp, a populist party known for its tough stance on crime and immigration, argues that fully trained officers are too often diverted from serious crime to carry out guarding, transport, and security tasks—particularly at embassies and public demonstrations, where demand has risen in recent years.
Jon Helgheim, the party’s justice spokesman and chair of the parliamentary Justice Committee, said a one-year training programme could quickly fill the gap.
“We need an emergency solution with a fast-track programme in police education,” Helgheim said. “This would give us the capacity the police are now lacking to carry out guard and security duties.”
He added that a shorter, specialised course could better prepare recruits for such roles than the current three-year degree, which covers a broader range of policing tasks.
The government has so far declined to back the Frp proposal, instead prioritising an expansion of the existing police training system.
Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen said the government is increasing admissions to the Police University College, arguing that the solution lies in training more fully qualified officers rather than creating a parallel track.
“We need more police officers with full police education,” she said.
A government-appointed commission is currently reviewing the future role and structure of policing in Norway, with its findings expected in 2027.
