Spesialenheten for politisaker
Spesialenheten
Summary
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Spesialenheten for politisaker (the Norwegian Bureau for the Investigation of Police Affairs) was established on 1 January 2005 as a fully independent investigative and prosecutorial body under the Ministry of Justice. It investigates and decides on prosecution of criminal offences by police and prosecuting-authority personnel under Straffeprosessloven § 59a and Påtaleinstruksen chapter 34.
The Bureau has authority to use all legal means of criminal investigation including search, seizure, arrest, and detention; its prosecution decisions are binding and can only be appealed to the Director of Public Prosecutions (Riksadvokaten). The Bureau is organisationally entirely separate from the police. Its investigators include a mix of lawyers and former police officers on secondment, but the statute does not mandate a civilian majority. Annual reports are submitted publicly. No separate corrective-discipline role beyond prosecution exists.
Independence Scorecard
| Appointment | Executive appointment |
|---|---|
| Term length | Not specified |
| Removal standard | For cause only |
| Budget independence | Legislative line item |
| Subpoena power | Yes |
| Compel testimony | Yes |
| Records access | Full access |
| Public reports required | Yes |
| Pre-publication review | None — reports published directly |
Statute
- Name
- Lov om rettergangsmåten i straffesaker (Straffeprosessloven) § 59a; Påtaleinstruksen kap. 34
- Citation
- Straffeprosessloven 1981-05-22-25 § 59a; Påtaleinstruksen 1985-06-28-1679 kap. 34
- Full text
- Full text of law →
Jurisdiction scope
All employees of the Norwegian Police Service and the Norwegian Prosecuting Authority suspected of committing criminal offences in the course of duty