After the July 22nd massacre the Norwegian police have started training more often on handling similar situations. This also includes the police force on Svalbard, although the latest risk and vulnerability analysis for the archipelago reads that the risk of deadly violence is very small. “It is still important to train for situations like this”, says Svalbard police superintendent Jon Starheimsæter to the Governor of Svalbard’s web site.
According to the scenario for the drill, an armed man had entrenched himself in the marine laboratory in the research village of Ny-Ålesund after shooting another person.
Four police officers from the Governor of Svalbard’s police force set out from Longyearbyen by helicopter. On board were also instructors from the police national emergency response unit. The “terrorist” was arrested shortly after the police arrived at the crime scene, NRK reports.
Svalbard has a very low crime rate and the small local communities on the archipelago are generally very transparent. But the number of weapons is very high, and the Governor confiscates many weapons every year in cases where the owner is regarded unfit to wear arms. People on Svalbard need weapons for protection against polar bears when travelling outside the town of Longyearbyen.
Ny-Ålesund has a permanent population of 30-35 people, all working for one of the research stations. In the summer the activity in Ny-Ålesund is greatly increased with up to 120 researchers, technicians, and field assistants. At present, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, France, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea and China all maintain research stations at Ny-Ålesund, although not all are inhabited year-round.
