Danish Security and Intelligence Service

Politiets Efterretningstjeneste (PET) (literally: Police Intelligence Service, official name in English: Danish Security and Intelligence Service, or DSIS) is the national security and intelligence agency of Denmark. The agency focuses solely on national security, and foreign intelligence operations are handled by the Danish Defence Intelligence Service, the foreign intelligence service administered by the Danish Royal Defense.

Danish Security and Intelligence Service
Politiets Efterretningstjeneste
Agency overview
Formed1939
Preceding agency
  • Det sønderjyske Politiadjudantur
JurisdictionGovernment of Denmark
HeadquartersSøborg, Århus and Odense
Employees780 (2010)[1]
Annual budget800 million Kr.
Minister responsible
Agency executive
  • Finn Borch Andersen
Parent agencyMinistry of Justice of Denmark
WebsiteThe Danish Security and Intelligence Service

The stated overall purpose of PET is to "prevent, investigate and counter operations and activities that pose or may pose a threat to the preservation of Denmark as a free, democratic and safe country".[2]

History

The history of PET can be traced back to shortly before World War II when the Danish police force expanded to create the Sikkerhedspoliti (SIPO) (literally: Security Police).[3]

Operations

The primary duties of the PET are counter-terrorism, counter-extremism, counter-espionage and security.[4]

Counterterrorism encompass stopping terrorist attacks on Denmark and Danish interests, and preventing Denmark from being used as a base of operations for carrying out terrorist attacks in and against other countries.[5] Furthermore, it attempts to gather evidence to ensure that terrorists are prosecuted. Denmark is obliged by UN and EU resolutions to support other states in prosecuting terrorists.[5]

Aside from the three main areas, PET also provides counselling to Danish companies on how to avoid espionage but is directly involved in countering industrial espionage only if an agency of a foreign government is involved.[6][7] It has a role as national security advisor to the Danish government, public authorities and other branches of the police along with a number of other activities common to domestic security organisations.[8]

PET also provides bodyguards for Danish royalty, politicians and other persons.[9]

Organization

PET is a part of the Danish police but reports directly to the Minister of Justice.[10]

The headquarters is in Copenhagen, and they have offices in Århus and Odense located in the local police stations. Because the service is integrated with the Danish police, they have representatives in all police precincts of Denmark.[10]

The Security Department

The Security Department provides operational support to the other units of PET and the police districts through: the Special Intervention Unit, the Personal Protection Unit and the Negotiation Group. The Security Department also comprises: the Security Co-ordination Centre, which ensures ongoing prioritisation of, among other tasks, personal protection and security coordination assignments in relation to major events, state visits and similar.[11]

Supervision and oversight

Several organs oversee PET in order to make sure the agency does not misuse its powers.

  • Ministry of Justice.
  • The parliamentary budget committee (Rigsrevisionen) has oversight and supervision with the budgets.
  • The Wamberg committee has oversight and supervision with the registration of people.
  • Parliamentary intelligence agencies control committee, that consist of five members, from each of the five biggest parties.

Besides those listed the agency is also under the control of the Courts of Denmark (which has to approve many special steps of investigation, e.g. wire-tapping.)

Criticism and public relations

PET was criticised in the late 1990s for being closed to the public and has tried to counter these claims by adopting a more open approach. Thus PET has taken to maintain a website explaining its overall aims and obligations and publishing an annual public report surveying extremist activities in Denmark and the threat level to national domestic security (albeit only in a very overall fashion).[12]

Following a report into the 2015 Copenhagen shootings, Jens Madsen resigned.[13]

People with bodyguards

PET does not comment on whom they offer specific bodyguard protection. However, it is publicly established[14] that the following people are under permanent protection:

These people have or have had at some time full-time protection:

See also

References
  1. Schiønning, Bjørn (28 June 2011). "PET løfter flig af sløret for sin økonomi" [PET lifts the lid on its economy]. DR (in Danish). Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  2. "Home". PET.dk. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  3. https://www.pet.dk/Om%20PET/Historie.aspx
  4. "Arbejdsområder" [Working areas]. PET.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 11 December 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  5. "Kontraterrorisme" [Counterterrorism]. PET.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 16 October 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  6. "Kontraspionage" [Counter-Espionage]. PET.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 16 October 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  7. "FAQ: Efterforsker PET industrispionage?" [FAQ: Does PET investigate industrial espionage?]. PET.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 13 October 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  8. "Sikkerhed" [Security]. PET.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 10 December 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  9. "Personbeskyttelse" [Personal Security]. PET.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 18 September 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  10. "Organisation". PET.dk (in Danish). Archived from the original on 11 December 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  11. "The Security Department". PET.dk. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  12. "Publikationer" [Publications]. PET.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  13. "Danish intelligence chief steps down after criticism". Yahoo! News. Agence France-Presse. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  14. Rewes, Henrik (6 February 2013). "Sådan beskytter PET truede danskere" [PET protects threatened Danes]. TV 2 (in Danish). Retrieved 3 November 2018.
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