Norway's national criminal investigation service Kripos now holds expanded authority over cold case murders. The new mandate took effect in November, granting Kripos' Cold Case section clearer operational frameworks.
The unit can now review all unsolved homicides across Norway's police districts. Previously, they only intervened upon request from local police chiefs.
Espen Erdal leads Kripos' Cold Case section. He said a more unified approach creates better opportunities for solving old crimes. New methods and fresh perspectives could provide answers where previous investigations failed.
Kripos will maintain a national overview of cold murder cases under the new mandate. This systematic approach aims to identify cases with the highest potential for resolution.
Erdal previously noted inconsistent handling of cold cases across different police districts. Some cases receive no attention for years, while others get sporadic work when officers have spare time.
The Cold Case team has assisted with nine of Norway's 41 unsolved murders so far. Erdal described the current situation as creating unequal treatment of victims' families.
Kripos argued that a national prioritization system would ultimately save police resources. Focusing efforts where resolution chances are highest makes practical sense.
This centralization reflects a growing trend in European law enforcement toward specialized cold case units. Norway's approach acknowledges that some crimes require national expertise beyond local police capabilities.