Law enforcement in Greenland

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Law enforcement in Greenland, an autonomous country of the Kingdom of Denmark, is provided by Kalaallit Nunaanni Politiit (English: Greenland Police, Danish: Grønlands Politi) an independent police district of Naalagaaffiup Politiivi (English: The National Police of Denmark, Danish: Rigspolitiet), within the National Police of Denmark. Since 2006, Greenland has constituted one of the 12 police districts of the Rigspolitiet, headed by the chief constable known as the 'Politiit Pisortaat' based in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland.^[1]

Levels of crime[]

Greenland is thought to be a relatively safe place. Greenland's main problems in crime are generally linked to drinking or drug use, which has led to outlawing of alcohol in some towns and villages.^[2] Other issues such as domestic violence and solvent abuse also plague Greenland.^[3]

Most large towns of populations upwards of 1,000 and some smaller ones have a police presence with a contact number to keep on good relations with locals and tourists.

Prison system[]

The Greenlandic prison system runs with a uniquely open model. Prisoners must report to prison between 9:30pm and 6:30am each day, but may go to work, visit relatives and complete errands while in the community. They also may hunt with firearms if they are escorted by a prison guard. Prisoners have keys to their own cells, as this is regarded as a form of privacy. A failure to attend prison will result in 7 days in solitary confinement once the escapee returns. Prisoners are also subjected to drug testing, and a failed drug test will result in solitary confinement. There are presently 160 places in the Greenlandic prison system.

Greenlandic prisoners requiring a high level of supervision used to be sent to Denmark's Herstedvester, a prison which has the capacity to provide psychiatric care.

New Prison in Nuuk[]

After the new correctional facility opened in 2020, Greenlandic prisoners, who preferred to serve their sentence in Nuuk, were given the possibility to be transferred back from Denmark. The new prison, which is able to house up to 76 inmates, in an open and a closed group, enables inmates to cook for themselves, to keep in touch with their families via provided cell phones and encourages outdoor-activities. The project website of the new prison, states that C. F. Møller Architects , who were in charge of the planning are convinced of the physical surroundings to have a large impact on the behaviour of its inmates.^[4] The design, which is rather uncommon for a correctional facility, won the MIPIM AR Future Projects Award.

Shortly after its completion, British broadcast journalist Raphael Rowe visited the high-security prison in Nuuk for an episode of his documentary Inside the World's Toughest Prisons.

See also[]

• Rigspolitiet - National police of Denmark
• Politiet - State police of Denmark

References[]

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