Lucie Rychla
February 14th, 2016

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Danish police are overworked and more officers are taking long-term sick leave, reports Politiken.

Increased focus on protection against terrorism and the recently-introduced border controls have taken their toll.

More getting sick
Figures from the National Police show that long-term absence among officers in the Mid and West Zealand Police has surged by 109 percent since 2013, while in Copenhagen it increased by 40 percent and in Vestegn (municipalities west of Copenhagen) by 27 percent.

In 2015, the National Police recorded over 950,000 hours of overtime, an increase of more than 60 percent compared to 2014.

Cases neglected
According to Michael Møller, the chairman at the Copenhagen Police Association, increased focus on fighting terrorism has delayed other police work, including narcotics cases.

“Many cases get suspended or are not investigated at all,” Møller told radio P4.

“The very sad consequence is that some of the serious drug offenders and gangs get away easily.”

To be continued
Meanwhile, Thorkild Fogde, the police chief at the Copenhagen Police, has confirmed increased focus on protection against terrorism will be the police’ top priority also this year.

Since the Copenhagen terror attacks in February 2015, the Danish police has spent nearly 100 million kroner and 422,436 hours on guarding Jewish institutions and private homes.