Nigel Farage, the ex-leader of Britain’s populist anti-EU party UKIP, drew the international attention to the jogging initiative by Sweden policemen, The Local Sweden reported.
The Sweden’s jogging policemen became international news last week, even Nigel Farage enlighted that initiative on radio station LBC. In fact, the Oskarshamn police initiative to help citizens feel safe when jogging in the evening. That simple story was misrepresented as an example of Sweden being unsafe due to immigration and became the international news.
In November, the Oskarshamn’s police announced that they would take part in evening jogs to “increase feelings of security” in the small town. The initiative was reported by local media Östra Småland Nyheterna, the only aim of it was to create “calm” for joggers out after dark in the town with the population of around 18,000.
“We have heard a number of times that women feel a general insecurity when they are out in the evening,”
police inspector Peter Karlsson told Östra Småland Nyheterna at the time. He added as well that he “could not say we have had a lot of incidents, but we have had some complaints.”
After becoming this initiative an international news. inspector Karlsson told broadcaster SVT last week:
“There is a perceived insecurity more than a real one. Not much happens here, but people are affected by what is happening elsewhere in the world and can feel unsafe when it’s dark.”
Karlsson said as well that the jogging patrol would be required to be equipped for duty, police would carry their standard equipment, including batons and handcuffs.
Nigel Farage about the jogging patrol in Sweden
The story gathered international attention when Nigel Farage, the former leader of Britain’s populist anti-EU party UKIP, spoke about the initiative on radio station LBC.
“[In] the Swedish city of Oskarshamn… joggers going out after night will have the option of being accompanied by armed police officers.
“This is something that the local inspector thinks will make people a bit safer at night, going out in a Swedish city.
“Who would have believed I would have said that about a Swedish city just five years ago? It is truly incredible,”
Farage said.
