Crowded and mold problem in Eskilstuna police station - critical local debt within the police

In March last year, the police newspaper was able to show pictures from inside the police station in Eskilstuna that illustrated how crowded it is in the station.

One of the pictures shows the closely spaced cupboards in a space that has been converted into a dressing room. The newspaper's photos also showed a laundry corner next to the garage which, according to the staff, smells of sewage. That it is crowded in the premises is confirmed by local police area manager Robert Åkström.

- It's just to be sorry. We know we have very small dressing rooms. It is a natural consequence of our growth, and we have to do what we can with the space we have, he says.

Mold damage under the floor

The need for new premises is great in Eskilstuna, and the police have been forced to rent premises around the municipality because there is not enough space in the existing police house.

One of the groups that has had to move out is the dog handler group. Previously, they stayed in a room where there was mold damage under the floor.

- I sat there for so long that I no longer felt the smell, due to the ravages of time, says Andreas Franzell.

At the same time, he points out that the working environment in the new premises is better, both for the dog handlers and the dogs.

- I wish everyone had the same opportunity to move to new premises, he says.

Receives internal criticism

But the local issue is not unique to Eskilstuna. According to an examination by the Police Authority's internal audit, the authority has extensive local debt. Many older properties need to be upgraded and adapted to today's needs.

According to the review, the police's local supply is not efficient enough, which is due to, among other things, a lack of resources, long lead times and staff turnover.

- There are many premises where you have patched and repaired for a long time and where you have mainly had to deal with urgent matters. There are houses that are very worn out, says Patrik Danielsson, the Police Association's national chief protection officer.