Sweden says the military will help the police with some duties as gang violence escalates
The Swedish government says it will have its military carry out some duties to free up police in the wake of an unprecedented crime wave STOCKHOLM -- Sweden’s prime minister said Friday that the military will soon assist the police with some duties to help deal with an unprecedented crime wave that has shocked the Scandinavian country with almost daily shootings and bombings. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said his center-right government will announce proposals next Thursday for how the armed forces would work with police . The country's national police chief, Anders Thornberg, clarified earlier Friday that members of the armed forces won't be given “direct” policing tasks. Still, getting the military involved in crime-fighting in any capacity would be a highly unusual step for Sweden, underscoring the severity of the gang violence that has claimed a dozen lives across the country this month, including teenagers and innocent bystanders. “The police cannot do all the work the...