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Police The Ministry of the Interior guides and directs the police service, and prepares related legislation. The purpose of police work is to ensure the safety of people and the environment. The National Police Board guides and directs operational...

Police agencies and responsibilities Police agencies include the National Police Board, local police departments, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Police University College. The National Police Board directs the activities of the polic...

28.5.2026 | The President of the Republic approved the bill on establishing a police reserve on Friday 22 May 2026. Today, the Government issued decrees laying down provisions on the possibility of appointing police students to the police reserve and on the studies required of reserve police officers.

21.5.2026 | The Government will establish a police reserve in Finland to ensure the police have sufficient resources in exceptional circumstances. In its session, the Government proposed that the President of the Republic approve the bill on establishing a police reserve on Friday 22 May. Most of the legislative amendments are scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2027.

Small ministry, large branch of government The National Police Board and the Finnish Immigration Service operate under the Ministry of the Interior. The agencies provide guidance within their scope of activities. The Finnish Border Guard is respon...

Racist crimes account for most hate crimes There is no single universally agreed definition of hate crime. A hate crime is generally taken to mean any criminal act which is motivated by prejudice or hostility against groups of people that the vict...

Organised crime has a major impact on society There is no single precise definition of the concept of organised crime. Organised crime usually refers to a group of individuals that systematically commits serious crimes. These activities may take v...

5.3.2026 | The Government intends to establish a police reserve in Finland to ensure sufficient police resources in all circumstances. The threshold for deploying the reserve would be high. The Government submitted a proposal on the matter to Parliament on 5 March. Most of the legislative amendments are scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2027.

10.11.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior is requesting comments on a draft government proposal for the establishment and deployment of a police reserve. The aim is to ensure that the police have sufficient resources in all circumstances. The draft proposal also includes an amendment concerning the qualification requirements for the Master of Police Services degree. The deadline for submitting comments is 22 December 2025.

22.12.2025 | The Ministry of the Interior has issued decrees on fees charged by the police and the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service. The decrees will enter into force on 1 January 2026 and be effective until 31 December 2026.

29.8.2025 | Public trust in the police has remained stable for a long time. Of those who responded to the latest Police Barometer survey, 92 per cent trust the police a lot or a fair amount. Respectful treatment of people by the police and fair police activities affect people’s trust.

22.12.2025 | The start of 2026 will see the entry into force of new acts and decrees. This press release provides a summary of the most important changes in the Ministry of the Interior’s government branch.

18.6.2025 | Ministry of the Interior – Branch of government Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen State Secretary Heikki Tamminen Permanent Secretary Matti Sarasmaa Finnish Border Guard • Border Guard Headquarters • Border Guard Districts • Coast Guard Distr...

24.3.2023 | Superintendent Pekka Kokkonen, Head of the Police Dog Training Centre of the Police University College, has been appointed to serve as Senior Police Coordinator in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM).

13.11.2023 | To prevent labor exploitation and human trafficking, foreign workers need to have access to information in their native language about working in Finland.

15.7.2020 | The majority of Finnish people continue to have confidence in the police. According to the latest Police Barometer survey, a total of 91 per cent of the respondents trust the police a lot or a fair amount. Trust in the police has slightly decreased compared to the previous survey (2018: 95 per cent). Based on the results, the police have succeeded well in performing their most important duties and the work of the police is appreciated.

7.10.2020 | The Ministry of the Interior and the National Police Board have launched a new social media campaign for young people that aims to encourage them to think about the way we use social media to discuss issues and the impacts of hate speech in their surroundings and in society as a whole.

8.5.2020 | The police have been developing preventive action in police departments and more resources have been allocated to this work, and some good results have been achieved. Police officers carrying out preventive work are committed to these efforts and have a clear view of what needs to be done. However, differences in the way police departments implement preventive action are apparent. This is one of ...

16.1.2020 | Roma people often experience discrimination in their daily lives. They have highlighted on various occasions the need to develop the activities of the authorities, especially those of the police. Representatives of the Roma population and Minister of the Interior Maria Ohisalo held a round table discussion on 16 January to talk about the safety and sense of security experienced by the Roma and how improve the situation, particularly by measures of the Ministry of the Interior and the police.

8.5.2017 | Cybercrime volumes have increased and will keep growing significantly. In particular, the number of online frauds has grown. Police is constantly developing capabilities to investigate cybercrime. Cybercrime constantly adopts new forms and the authorities need to keep pace with these developments.