Norwegian Police Security Service

The Norwegian Police Security Service (Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste (PST), Politiets tryggingsteneste (PTT)) is the police security agency of Norway, somewhat comparable to the British MI5 (Security Service). The agency was previously known as POT (Politiets overvåkningstjeneste or Police Surveillance Agency), the name change was dictated by the Parliament of Norway on 2 June 2001.[1]

Norwegian Police Security Service Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste
PST Emblem
Abbreviation	PST
Agency overview
Formed	1937
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Norway
General nature	Civilian police
Specialist jurisdiction	Protection of international or domestic VIPs, protection of significant state assets.
Operational structure
Headquarters	Oslo
Agency executive	Hans Sverre Sjøvold, Director
Parent agency	Ministry of Justice and Public Security
Website
www.pst.no

The service was established in 1937 by direction of the Ministry of Justice led by Trygve Lie.[2] It is responsible for monitoring and maintaining interior security in Norway. Known operational departments include counterintelligence unit, counterterrorism unit, counterproliferation and organized crime unit, counterextremism unit, investigation unit, surveillance unit, technology unit, security analysis unit and foreign citizens unit. In addition, PST is in charge of all VIP protection domestically and abroad[3] except for the royal family, which has its own independent escort service.

PST is, unlike all ordinary police services, not a part of the National Police Directorate, but placed directly under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. The agency is monitored by the Norwegian Parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Committee, after the debates concerning the Lund Report.

PST headquarters.

The organization consists of Den sentrale enhet (central unit) which is located in Nydalen, Oslo, as well as regional offices in all the police regions.[4]

Directors

This is a list of the directors of the agency.[5]

• 1957–1966 : Asbjørn Bryhn
• 1967–1982 : Gunnar Haarstad
• 1982–1990 : Jostein Erstad
• 1990–1991 : Svein Urdal
• 1991–1993 : Jan Grøndahl (acting)
• 1993–1996 : Hans Olav Østgaard
• 1996–1997 : Ellen Holager Andenæs (acting)
• 1997–2003 : Per Sefland
• 2003–2004 : Arnstein Øverkil (acting)
• 2004–2009 : Jørn Holme
• 2009 : Roger Berg (acting)
• 2009–2012 : Janne Kristiansen
• 2012 : Roger Berg (acting)
• 2012–2019 : Marie Benedicte Bjørnland
• 2019-present : Hans Sverre Sjøvold[6]

References

1. "Lov om endringer i politiloven (overvåkingstjenestens oppgaver m.v.)". Stortinget (in Norwegian). 2000-12-15. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
2. "Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste - Endringshistorie - Forvaltningsdatabasen - NSD". www.nsd.uib.no. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
3. "Tema". www.pst.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2019-08-12.
4. "Kontorer". www.pst.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2019-08-12.
5. Jonassen, Arild M. (9 August 1997). "Turbulent tjeneste". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 15.
6. "Ledelsen". www.pst.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2019-08-12.

External links

• Official website (in Norwegian)
• Instruction for the Norwegian Police Security Service (in Norwegian)
• Law on oversight of Intelligence, Surveillance and Security Agencies (in Norwegian)