The
Swedish Police Authority is the central
administrative authority for the
police in
Sweden, responsible for
law enforcement, general social order and public safety within the country. The agency is headed by the
National Police Commissioner, who is appointed by the
Government and has the sole responsibility for all activities of the police. Although formally organised under the
Ministry of Justice, the Swedish police is—similar to other authorities in Sweden—essentially autonomous, in accordance with the
constitution. The agency is governed by general policy instruments and is subject to a number of sanctions and oversight functions, to ensure that the exercise of public authority is in compliance with regulations.
Police officers typically wear a dark-blue uniform consisting of combat style trousers with a police duty belt, a polo shirt or a long sleeve button shirt, and a side-cap embellished with a metal cap badge. The standard equipment includes a handgun, pepper spray and an expandable baton.