HELSINKI FINLAND JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 58 Finnish police officers discharged their firearms 122 times in 2003–2013 reveals an assessment conducted by the Police University College - Man shot to death by police officer suspected of attempted manslaughter (04 October - Police officer uses deadly force in Orimattila (03 October - KRP: Vihti gunman opened fire at four police officers (23 June - Niinistö: Act of violence against police is act of violence against entire society (20 June The latest such incident dates back to 2 October when a man suspected of attempted manslaughter was shot fatally by a police officer in Orimattila a town located some 20 kilometres south of Lahti sparking the ongoing debate over the use of force by police officers The National Police Board has gathered data on police firearm use since 2003 The Police University College also points out that police officers in the country respond to more than one million calls every year but only seldom use force in used force in no more than 2 per cent of the 97,566 arrests they made in 2005 Use of force is defined as the use of physical force or accessories police dogs or – in the most extreme cases – firearms the chief inspector in charge of the assessment reminds in the press release that comparing the use of force by police to other countries is problematic due to various differences in categorising and monitoring practices indicate that on average police officers use force in 2.4 out of every 100 arrests use of force assessments indicate that the corresponding figure is 1.7 Drawing a comparison to the United States is difficult […] due to distinct differences in how force and especially firearms are used,” he says The Police University College also calls attention to a doctoral dissertation published in 2013 indicating that nearly one in two police officers encounter physical violence on a monthly basis The share creeps up to two in three if verbal abuse and threats are also taken into consideration “The violence encountered by police officers has diversified with the means ranging from biting to running over Use of force assessments suggest the offender was armed with a knife a firearm or other instrument in 25 per cent of the cases,” tells Rikander It is similarly rare for a police officer to die on the line of duty in Finland. The police officer who was shot to death during a siege in Vihti, Uusimaa, in June was only the second to die on the line of duty since the turn of the millennium, according to YLE Aleksi Teivainen – HTPhoto: Samuli Ikäheimo – LehtikuvaSource: Uusi Suomi Advertisement inquiries and other after-sales issues: info@helsinkitimes.fi Helsinki Times is the first and only English language newspaper providing news about Finland in English A weekly print edition of Helsinki Times was published from March 2007 up until Feb Helsinki Times is an online-only publication and other groups and individuals interested in Finland from all around the world © Helsinki Times All rights reserved.  Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Open image viewerInvestigators found two wolves hidden in a sauna building in Orimattila. Image: Helsingin poliisiYle News20.6.2019 17:30A special team of Helsinki police investigators suspect eight individuals of illegally importing wolves to Finland in order to breed wolf-dog hybrids. The preliminary investigation is nearly complete and the case, which currently involves a total of twelve criminal charges, is expected to go to court later this summer. The charges include aggravated animal welfare endangerment, animal endangerment and eight counts of nature conservation crimes, as well as two counts of illegal animal importation. It is illegal to import wolves and wolf-dog hybrids into Finland. Police said the crimes were carried out between June 2016 and January of this year in the municipalities of Loppi, Orimattila, Karkkila, which are in southern Finland, as well as Vaalimaa, a border crossing point to Russia. A total of eight people are suspects in the case but police said the main suspect was raising hybrid wolf-dogs in Loppi, which is about 90 km north of Helsinki. The case is being investigated by a Helsinki-based police team which specialises in animal protection related crimes, a group which was established last autumn. Around the end of last year, officials became aware of an individual who had a wolf at home in Karikkila, which is roughly 70 km north-west of the capital. Open image viewerTwo animals found by investigators in Karkkila. Image: Helsingin poliisiDuring the preliminary investigation, the team learned that four wolves had been brought into the country from Russia and transported to the main suspect's farm in Loppi. A total of 64 animals, including hybrid wolf-dogs, were found on the main suspect's property in Loppi. Police said one of the wolves were taken to Karkkila while two others were moved to a hiding place in Orimattila, due to an animal safety check that authorities carried out at the main suspect's farm. However, police carried out searches of all three of the locations simultaneously, along with the help from veterinarians. One animal found in Karkkila turned out to be a purebred Northern European wolf. Police found two other wolves in Orimattila, inside an unlit sauna building in the yard. Officials said the sauna smelled of faeces and urine and that the animals did not have access to water or food. Police said 30 animals were euthanised during the preliminary investigation. Up-and-coming double trap shooter Nathan Lee Xuereb achieved a commendable result on Thursday when finishing fourth in the International Shotgun Cup, staged in Orimattila, Finland. The competition pitted Xuereb, winner of the junior title at this year’s Malta International Double Trap Grand Prix, against some of the best junior double trap shooters from Finland, Russia, India and Slovakia. Xuereb chalked up scores of 44, 48 and 42 for a total of 134 from 150 in the qualifying rounds. The Maltese shooter was second in the standings, four points behind Russian shooter Artem Nekrasov (138). In the barrage, Xuereb hit 42 from 50 and had to settle for fourth place in the final classification with an aggregate score of 176. Nekrasov was in a class of his own on the day as he smashed 47 in the final to win the competition on 185 points, five ahead of fellow countryman Artur Qmingasov who was second. Slovakia’s Filip Praj was third on 179. In a statement, the Malta Shooting Sport Federation (MSSF) described Xuereb’s result as a remarkable achievement, one that bodes well for the future of shooting in Malta. Another two MSSF members will be in action this weekend in Finland. Clive Farrugia takes part in the skeet competition today and Lee Micallef figures in the trap competition tomorrow. To view comments, please register for free or log in to your account. Open image viewerPolice investigating the case discovered two wolves being kept in a sauna building at a property in Orimattila Image: Helsingin poliisiYle News1.4.2021 17:01Kanta-Häme District Court has found a woman guilty of crimes involving the illegal breeding of wolf-dog hybrids She was handed a suspended prison sentence the court banned the woman from keeping animals for six years She was found guilty of aggravated animal welfare endangerment two counts of illegal animal importation and one count of threatening an informant The court dismissed one further charge for a nature conservation offence The woman illegally imported wolves and hybrid wolfdogs to Finland from Russia She kept the animals at a property in the municipality of Loppi Open image viewerThe crimes took place in multiple locations across southern Finland Investigators discovered these animals at a property in Karkkila Image: Helsingin poliisiThe court refused the prosecution's demand to also sentence the woman to 120 days community service saying the suspended prison sentence was harsh enough One defendant was sentenced to four months in prison for nature conservation offences and illegal importation of animals The crimes were committed between June 2016 and January 2019 in the southern municipalities of Loppi The police investigation began in 2019 after authorities received information about a wolf being kept at a property in Karkkila The case was investigated by a Helsinki-based police team which specialises in animal welfare-related crimes Police quickly became aware that several wolves had been smuggled from Russia to the main suspect's farm in Loppi All four defendants denied the charges against them The main suspect claimed in court that the animals on her property had been put there in an attempt to frame her The defence claimed that the animals involved were not wolves or illegal first-generation wolf-dog hybrids The defence also argued that the animals were not being farmed for profit is not final as the ruling can still be appealed about a half-hour drive south of the city of Lahti Open image viewerNordic police forces cooperate to apprehend most-wanted suspects in the region Image: Martti Kainulainen / LehtikuvaYle News15.12.2018 11:20•Updated 15.12.2018 17:32Police captured Jani Kellokumpu following a high-speed car chase on Friday evening that ended on foot in a forest The 37 year-old was also wanted by Finnish authorities for manslaughter Officials said Kellokumpu has killed one person in the past and is now suspected of committing manslaughter in northern Sweden In 2016 Kellokumpu was remanded in absentia by a Swedish court on charges of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter after intentionally colliding with a truck while driving under the influence in Haparanda Police said Kellokumpu had been hiding out in Sweden and Finland Friday's sting was the result of Nordic police force cooperation Swedish newspaper Expressen was the first to report the news Laudatur grades are given to the best five percent of students in any one subject The excellent results were achieved at schools in Lohja and Turku in the south-west Open image viewerKahdeksan laudaturia sai ylioppilas Olli Jouppila Erkko-Lukiosta Orimattilasta Image: YLE19.5.2011 19:41•Updated 19.5.2011 19:49The results are not a record as last year a student in the Northern port town of Tornio achieved 11 laudatur grades The successful students were Eetu Heinonen in Turku Olli Jouppila in Orimattila and Olli Dufva in Lohja The matriculation examination was taken by 28,800 students this spring The final results and statistics will be released by the Matriculation Examination Board on May 30 The number of students flunking the exam is relatively small this year Around 1,700 students received failing grades