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Published: 28 February 2020

Number of coercive measures performed unchanged from the previous year

According to Statistics Finland's data, the police, customs and border guard used coercive measures 194,900 times in 2019, which is 300 coercive measures (0.1 per cent) fewer than in the year before. Apprehensions based on the Police Act decreased most in numbers. The share of confiscations was 5.9 per cent higher and searches of premises 7.4 per cent higher than in the previous year.

Coercive measures of the police, customs and border guard in 2010 to 2019

In 2019, the police used coercive measures 188,100 times. This is 96.5 per cent of all coercive measures used. Customs used coercive measures 4,800 times and the border guard 2,000 times. The shares of customs and the border guard were low in all the most significant coercive measure groups. Customs and the border guard performed close on 10 per cent of confiscations.

Coercive measures against freedom

In 2019, a total of 22,600 apprehensions were made, which is 400 cases (1.8 per cent) more than in the year before. The number of arrests was 8,800, up by 300 cases (3.4 per cent) from one year earlier. The number of apprehensions was 2,060, which is 50 cases (2.1 per cent) fewer than in 2018. Altogether, 570 travel bans were enforced, which is 2.9 per cent more than in 2018.

At the beginning of 2016, a coercive measure concerning detention of foreigners entered into force. A total of 1,300 detentions of foreigners were recorded in 2019, which is 16.5 per cent lower than in the year before. The most common reason for the detention of a foreigner was that a foreigner would hinder the preparation and enforcement of decision-making concerning him or her by hiding or running or in some other way. This was the basis for around 2,400 cases. Another common reason for the detention was that a foreigner was suspected of a crime and the detention was necessary to ensure the preparation or enforcement of the decision to deport from the country. This reason was used around 1,800 times. One coercive measure can contain several grounds, so the number of grounds is higher than the number of actual coercive measures. Altogether 8,100 grounds were used in 1,300 detentions of foreigners last year. The detention of a foreigner is not necessarily criminally based, but a foreigner can be detained without suspicion of a crime.

The number of intoxicated persons taken into custody has fallen in recent years. A total of 49,000 intoxicated persons were taken into custody in 2019. This is 2,700 cases (5.3 per cent) fewer than in 2018. Taking intoxicated persons into custody is a coercive measure based on the Police Act, where the object of the coercive measure is usually not suspected of an offence but the coercive measure is used to ensure the safety of the person or his or her environment.

Coercive measures against freedom by sex in 2019

A majority of coercive measures against freedom were directed at Finnish citizens. Apprehensions based on the Police Act are often taking intoxicated persons into custody, but this group also includes other temporary apprehensions to ensure that domestic or public premises are not invaded. Information on nationality is based on Statistics Finland’s register data. If there are no register data, police records are used.

Coercive measures against freedom by nationality 2018 and 2019

	Total		Apprehension based on the Police Act		Apprehension		Arrest		Remand		Detention of a foreigner
	2018	2019	2018	2019	2018	2019	2018	2019	2018	2019	2018	2019
Total	86,114	83,771	51,789	49,063	22,200	22,601	8,468	8,752	2,103	2,058	1,554	1,297
Finland	72,370	70,818	46,505	44,319	17,556	18,041	6,799	6,950	1,510	1,508	0	0
Estonia	3,380	3,053	1,490	1,265	1,207	1,199	332	317	105	81	246	191
Iraq	1,449	872	441	323	556	319	168	134	42	43	242	53
Romania	1,018	1,140	218	243	353	367	209	286	76	93	162	151
Russia	1,007	902	423	384	326	272	149	158	42	33	67	55
Somalia	778	703	534	473	152	142	42	49	11	17	39	22
Sweden	541	567	312	281	152	195	52	62	21	20	4	9
Gambia	429	368	11	13	207	182	56	55	14	11	141	107
Afghanistan	407	361	160	158	123	109	43	34	17	10	64	50
Latvia	325	351	169	147	109	135	28	43	6	8	13	18
Belarus	197	314	22	22	79	131	38	73	9	16	49	72
Lithuania	252	299	79	79	73	108	55	60	24	21	21	31
Ukraine	181	267	44	62	71	106	41	48	6	14	19	37
Without citizenship	161	240	54	71	54	98	22	26	12	4	19	41
Bulgaria	236	131	68	42	96	47	29	26	14	7	29	9
Georgia	205	150	17	12	83	74	28	14	19	8	58	42
Unknown	200	168	129	113	44	38	9	5	3	2	15	10
Poland	157	184	85	87	46	57	15	19	5	7	6	14
Iran	156	171	55	30	51	83	19	23	8	4	23	31
Morocco	132	133	46	54	43	35	14	10	8	5	21	29
Nigeria	125	122	14	18	53	50	11	12	3	3	44	39
Syria	124	122	39	29	47	59	23	18	7	3	8	13
Other	2,284	2,335	874	838	719	754	286	330	141	140	264	273

Other coercive measures

At the beginning of 2014, new coercive measures came into force: search of data contained in a device and search of premises. A search of data contained in a device refers to a search directed to the data content contained in a computer, a terminal end device or in another corresponding technical device or information system. In 2019, altogether 6,700 searches of data contained in a device were performed, which is 5.6 per cent more than in the previous year. A search of premises refers to a search conducted elsewhere than in a public place but not a domicile. Searches of premises numbered 7,800, most of which were carried out to find an object or property to be confiscated or to clarify an offence. Compared with the previous year, 7.4 per cent more searches of premises were performed.

The number of bodily searches and physical examinations and possible confiscations related to them increased by 1.1 per cent from the previous year. Their number was 30,300 in 2019. Physical examinations were done to determine the DNA profile of a suspect and to detect consumption of alcohol or other narcotics. Altogether, 29,300 confiscations were recorded, which is 5.9 per cent more than in the year before. House searches and confiscations made in their connection numbered 10,700, which was 1.4 per cent lower than in 2018. The number of house searches and confiscations made in their connection has decreased considerably compared to 2013 as part of them are now recorded as searches of premises or searches of data contained in a device.

The number of enforced restraining orders continued to fall. Altogether, 1,100 restraining orders were enforced in 2019, which is 13 per cent fewer than one year earlier and 26 per cent fewer than in 2017.

A total of 26,300 coercive measures were directed to women, being 13.5 per cent of all coercive measures. Women's shares were small in all types of coercive measures. Of the coercive measures directed to women, 28 per cent were taking intoxicated persons into custody and 15 per cent were physical examinations and confiscations. Close on eight per cent of coercive measures were not directed to a person but, for example, to legal persons or premises.

Examinations to detect narcotics use have increased

In all, 6,600 examinations of state of intoxication with a precision breathalyser were recorded in 2019, which was 1,100 cases (14.1 per cent) fewer than in 2018. The number of examinations of state of intoxication with a blood test was 14,000 in 2019, which was 500 cases (3.7 per cent) more than in 2018. Examinations of state of intoxication in order to detect narcotics use increased by 5.5 per cent and examinations to determine the blood alcohol level increased by 0.5 per cent from 2015.

Investigations of drunken driving in 2013 to 2019

	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Breath alcohol	9,597	8,528	8,206	7,790	7,369	7,638	6,562
Request to examine state of intoxication	11,000	11,345	11,538	11,662	12,456	13,554	14,051
Of which
...Blood alcohol	7,669	7,228	6,705	6,578	6,493	6,678	6,710
...Narcotics	4,504	5,254	6,123	6,555	7,665	8,742	9,221
...Consumption after driving	1,899	1,734	1,644	1,461	1,365	1,386	1,499
...Theoretical statement on state of intoxication	344	261	237	199	192	184	190
...Alcohol back calculation	1,051	882	778	692	604	596	591

The database tables describing coercive measures were reviewed in connection with the release on 28 February 2019. They contain further information on the duration of apprehensions, arrests and detentions as well as more detailed information on the grounds for coercive measures.

Source: Statistics on offences and coercive measures 2019. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Kimmo Haapakangas 029 551 3252, Pekka Hänninen 029 551 2606, rikos@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

Publication in pdf-format (239.3 kB)

Tables

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Persons apprehended, arrested and remanded by age in 2019 (28.2.2020)

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Updated 28.2.2020