Beyond Borders: Finnish and Swedish Police Unite for Emergency Response

A groundbreaking cross-border agreement will allow Finnish and Swedish police to respond to emergency calls on both sides of the border without prior request.

HELSINKI — A new era in Nordic law enforcement begins on 1 July 2026, as Finland and Sweden launch an unprecedented police cooperation agreement that will enable patrols from each country to independently respond to emergency calls in the other.

The agreement, originally signed between the two governments in 2021 and enacted through separate national legislation in 2025, allows police to request assistance from their neighbours for urgent life-and-health emergencies in border municipalities. For the first time, a police patrol from one country can independently carry out an emergency response task in the other.

Scope and Affected Areas

In Finland, the cooperation applies to the municipalities of Enontekiö, Kolari, Muonio, Pello, Tornio and Ylitornio. On the Swedish side, it covers the border municipalities of Haparanda, Övertorneå, Pajala and Kiruna.

Immediate Intervention Without Prior Request

Beyond request-based assistance, the agreement grants patrols from both countries the right to cross the national border on their own initiative, without a formal request, to take temporary measures necessary to avert an immediate threat to life, health or physical integrity.

“This new form of cooperation will further enhance active police cooperation between the two countries,” said Deputy National Police Commissioner Sanna Heikinheimo in a press release.

Training and Implementation

Police officers participating in the operations are volunteers who have given their consent and undergone extensive training over recent months, including joint exercises organised for officers from both countries. Training has been conducted in close cooperation between the National Police Board, the Police University College, the Lapland and Oulu police departments, and Sweden’s Norrbotten police region.

Language requirements ensure that officers know the most common commands and instructions in the other country’s language.

Operational Leadership

In Finland, operational patrol duties fall under the Lapland Police Department, while decision-making regarding assistance requests is coordinated through the northern command centre at the Oulu Police Department. The aim is to transfer lead responsibility to the home country’s police as quickly as possible.

A Limited but Vital Tool

Lapland Police Chief Vesa Pihajoki emphasised that while cross-border callouts are unlikely to be frequent, the mechanism is critically important. “These are situations where there is a concrete danger to life and health,” he told STT.

The agreement represents a significant step toward stronger Nordic collaboration, improving public order and security while enhancing crime prevention and investigation in the northern border region.