Police Academy to investigate racism charges
The Swedish National Police Academy (Polishögskolan) has reported itself to the police after details emerged of a culture of racism at the school.
Police have confirmed that allegations of malpractice and racial agitation will be investigated, according to a press release on the police website.
The allegations emerged in an article in Dagens Nyheter (DN) on Friday. The article featured a man named as "Ahmed", a student at the academy. "Ahmed" was born in the Middle East but came to Sweden as an infant.
He claims to have never experienced racism of the like that he endured while at the police academy. He also maintained that several teachers deliberately obstructed the education of students with immigrant backgrounds.
"Can it really be like this? If it is, then it is good for us to know. But we have an ongoing discussion, since the recordings in Malmö became known." said the academy's rector Ingmar Bergman to DN.
Bergman is referring to a police video recorded during unrest in the Malmö suburb of Rosengård in December which featured racist and abusive language involving several police officers.
Sweden's national police commissioner, Bengt Svensson, emphasised in a statement on Friday a commitment to get to the bottom of the problems of racism within the police.
"All colleagues and chiefs are responsible for their own behaviour and to act against the use of inappropriate language and a unhealthy working environment."
Bengt Svensson launched a a national enquiry on February 8th into racism within the police following a series of revelations in the past month. On Friday he described these revelations as ""wake-up call" for the police
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Police have confirmed that allegations of malpractice and racial agitation will be investigated, according to a press release on the police website.
The allegations emerged in an article in Dagens Nyheter (DN) on Friday. The article featured a man named as "Ahmed", a student at the academy. "Ahmed" was born in the Middle East but came to Sweden as an infant.
He claims to have never experienced racism of the like that he endured while at the police academy. He also maintained that several teachers deliberately obstructed the education of students with immigrant backgrounds.
"Can it really be like this? If it is, then it is good for us to know. But we have an ongoing discussion, since the recordings in Malmö became known." said the academy's rector Ingmar Bergman to DN.
Bergman is referring to a police video recorded during unrest in the Malmö suburb of Rosengård in December which featured racist and abusive language involving several police officers.
Sweden's national police commissioner, Bengt Svensson, emphasised in a statement on Friday a commitment to get to the bottom of the problems of racism within the police.
"All colleagues and chiefs are responsible for their own behaviour and to act against the use of inappropriate language and a unhealthy working environment."
Bengt Svensson launched a a national enquiry on February 8th into racism within the police following a series of revelations in the past month. On Friday he described these revelations as ""wake-up call" for the police
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