Page 7 - The police annual report 2016 annual report 2016

of drunk drivers in the traf c ow remained unchanged.
During the year, the number of alcohol-related accidents resulting in personal injury grew slightly from the previous year. In the long term, however, the trend appears to continue in the right direction. The police were able to slightly increase the amount of surveillance, and more breathalyser tests were applied than in the previous year.
ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT OF SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT
The amount of video monitoring equipment capable of reading vehicle registration plates and radars installed on police vehicles was increased. This allowed for even more effective traf c surveillance. A new, no-mouthpiece screening breathalyser was deployed in drunk driving monitoring, speeding up the screening tests carried out by the police and saving in material costs.
Cooperation to expand xed automatic traf c surveillance to new road sections continued. At the same time, negotiations were held with municipalities and cities on expanding automatic traf c surveillance to road sections administered by them.
The use of mobile surveillance units was made more ef cient, and their number was increased. Additional procurement of auto- matic surveillance cameras was launched with separate funding granted in the supplementa- ry budget of 2016.
LOT OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN TRAFFIC SURVEILLANCE
Finland was an active participant in the oper- ations of the European Traf c Police Network (TISPOL) in the network's council and several working groups. A representative of the Finn- ish police continued to serve as the Director of the network.
During the year, eight TISPOL operations fo- cusing on traf c safety were conducted under the Road Policing model. Participation in the work of the Nordic traf c police cooperation body (SANT) continued, and several cross-bor- der surveillance operations were conducted
as a Finnish-Estonian joint effort. Visits were made to the Netherlands, Norway and Estonia during the development work of surveillance equipment.
PERFORMANCE OF SPECIAL FUNCTIONS WAS IMPROVED
The national and international performance of the police's special functions was improved by continuing the training and equipping of the special teams. The international operational
readiness of the police, and in particular its special functions, was improved through par- ticipation in international joint operation ex- ercises together with the Finnish Border Guard and the special functions of other countries.
The performance capacity of basic police patrols was also improved by developing their equipment and training.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAS CONTINUED IN LARGE NUMBERS, WHILE THE NUMBER OF ASYLUM SEEKERS HAS DECREASED
Illegal immigration to the European Union has continued in large numbers. It involves international organised crime that receives signi cant nancial bene ts from human traf cking.
Over 90 per cent of illegal immigrants entered Finland across the Union's internal borders. The increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving through internal transfers makes their arrival more controlled.
In 2015, around 32,500 asylum seekers entered Finland. In early 2016, the number of asylum seekers started to decrease clearly, and in 2016, a total of around 5,500 asylum seekers entered Finland.
The Tornio registration centre operated from 22 September 2015 to 29 February 2016, dur- ing which period 16,582 asylum seekers were registered there, with the police performing asylum investigations on 4,543 of them.
In practice, the police performed an asylum investigation (determination of identity, entry into the country and the travel route) on over 30,000 asylum seekers before the duty was transferred to the Finnish Immigration Service.
Asylum investigations were transferred from the police to the Finnish Immigration Service on 1 March 2016, after which the duties of the police have included – in addition to the supervision of aliens – the receipt of asy- lum applications, the registration of asylum seekers, and the enforcement of decisions on removal from the country.
THE POLICE, ANNUAL REPORT 2016 7