System Collapse? Cases Dismissed Due to Staff Shortages

The statistics come from data provided by the Attorney General (Riksadvokaten). In 2017, police dismissed 2,496 cases in this category due to lack of operational capacity, and eight years later, the number was about 6,000 higher. The statistics include both less serious offenses and very serious crimes.

In Skien, representatives of six housing cooperatives attended a meeting with the police seeking explanations. Rolf Haugen, chairman of the board of one of the cooperatives, says that residents feel their cases are being treated as everyday crime. According to him, the police analyzed each case individually and pointed to a lack of resources.

The cooperatives provided the police with surveillance footage and photos. Despite this, some cases were dismissed. Reports included burglaries and vandalism. Haugen emphasizes that the problem is not just about the value of stolen items.

Riksadvokaten also points to an increase in the number of cases with a registered suspect. In 2017, 856 such cases were dismissed due to lack of capacity. In 2025, there were 3,959. This means that investigations are increasingly being closed even when the police have identified one or more suspects.

The statistics are based on dismissal codes in police systems. A case is included in this category only when it is marked with the appropriate code. Riksadvokaten has repeatedly stressed the importance of proper coding. The category of property crimes covers a wide range of offenses.

Dag Størksen, head of the Grenland police station, admits that such decisions can be hard to understand. He explains that the police do not have the resources to investigate all reported criminal cases. In the South-Eastern Police District alone, about 40,000 reports are filed each year. Each dismissal is supposed to be preceded by an individual assessment.

Størksen says the police must work thoroughly on priority cases. That is why some less serious investigations are postponed. Riksadvokaten points out that large and complex cases tie up the most experienced investigators and prosecutors for a long time, limiting available resources in other areas.

Riksadvokaten's documents show that in some districts, prosecutor turnover reaches up to 70 percent. The Politijuristene organization conducted a survey among police lawyers. It found that 25 percent of police prosecutors are considering leaving due to high workloads. Nearly three-quarters of respondents say they feel insufficiently effective at work.

The Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Justis- og beredskapsdepartementet) reports that the political leadership is concerned about the situation. State Secretary Joakim Øren from the Labour Party says the goal is to reduce the number of cases dismissed due to lack of resources. He also emphasizes that those who commit crimes should be brought to justice. According to him, the government has strengthened the police and prosecution with NOK 145 million until the end of the year.

In Skien, residents are still waiting for results. Haugen reports that one person has been banned from visiting one of the cooperatives. Other than that, the cooperatives have no information about further investigative actions. For residents, the key issue remains the sense of security in garages, basements, and common areas of the buildings.