View source for Norwegian Police Security Service

{{Short description|Domestic intelligence service in Norway}}
{{More footnotes|date=February 2010}}
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname      = Norwegian Police Security Service
| nativename     = ''Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste''
| commonname      = 
| abbreviation    = PST
| patch           =
| patchcaption    = 
| logo            = File:Emblem of the Norwegian Police Security Service.svg
| logocaption     = PST Emblem
| formedyear      = 1937
| country         = Norway
| police          = yes
| speciality1     = protection
| headquarters    = [[Oslo]]
| minister1name   = 
| minister1pfo    = 
| chief1name      = [[Beate Gangås]]
| chief1position  = Director
| parentagency    = [[Ministry of Justice and Public Security]]
| website = {{Official URL}}
 }}

The '''Norwegian Police Security Service''' ({{lang|nb|Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste ('''PST''')}}, {{lang|nn|Politiets tryggingsteneste ('''PTT''')}}) is the police [[security agency]] of [[Norway]]. The agency was previously known as ''POT'' (''{{lang|nb|Politiets overvåkningstjeneste}}'' or Police Surveillance Agency), the name change was decided by the [[Storting|Parliament of Norway]] on 2 June 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.stortinget.no/no/Saker-og-publikasjoner/Saker/Sak/?p=20578 |title=Lov om endringer i politiloven (overvåkingstjenestens oppgaver m.v.) |trans-title= Act on amendments to the Police Act (tasks of the surveillance service, etc.) |date=2000-12-15 |website=Stortinget |language=no |access-date=2019-08-12}}</ref>

==History and organization==

The service was established in 1937 by direction of the [[Norwegian Ministry of Justice|Ministry of Justice]] led by [[Trygve Lie]].<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.nsd.no/polsys/data/forvaltning/enhet/13510/endringshistorie |title=Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste - Endringshistorie - Forvaltningsdatabasen |website=[[Norwegian Centre for Research Data]] (NSD) |trans-title=Police Security Service - History of Change - Administration Database |language=no |access-date=2019-08-12}}</ref> It is responsible for monitoring and maintaining interior security in Norway. Known operational departments include ''counterintelligence unit'', ''counterterrorism unit'', ''counterproliferation and organized crime unit'', ''counterextremism unit'', ''investigation unit'', ''surveillance unit'', ''technology unit'', ''security analysis unit'' and ''foreign citizens unit''. In addition, PST is in charge of all VIP protection domestically and abroad<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://pst.no/temasider/oppgaver/ |title=Tema |trans-title=Theme |website=PST |language=no |access-date=2019-08-12}}</ref> except for the royal family, which has its own [[Royal Police Escort|independent escort service]].

PST is, unlike all ordinary police services, not subordinated to the [[National Police Directorate (Norway)|National Police Directorate]], but placed directly under the [[Ministry of Justice and Public Security]]. The agency is monitored by the [[Norwegian Parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Committee]], after the debates concerning the [[Lund Report]].
[[Image:Pst-20060610.jpg|thumb|right|PST headquarters.]]

The organization consists of ''{{lang|nb|Den sentrale enhet}}'' (central unit) which is located in [[Nydalen]], [[Oslo]], as well as regional offices in all the police regions.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://pst.no/kontorer/ |title=Kontorer |trans-title=Offices |website=PST |language=no |access-date=2019-08-12}}</ref>

==Directors==
This is a list of the directors of the agency.<ref>{{cite news |title=Turbulent tjeneste |trans-title=Turbulent service |last=Jonassen |first=Arild M. |date=9 August 1997 |work=[[Aftenposten]] |page=15 |language=Norwegian}}</ref>

* 1957–1966 : [[Asbjørn Bryhn]]
* 1967–1982 : [[Gunnar Haarstad]]
* 1982–1990 : [[Jostein Erstad]]
* 1990–1991 : [[Svein Urdal]]
* 1991–1993 : [[Jan Grøndahl]] (''acting'')
* 1993–1996 : [[Hans Olav Østgaard]]
* 1996–1997 : [[Ellen Holager Andenæs]] (''acting'')
* 1997–2003 : [[Per Sefland]]
* 2003–2004 : [[Arnstein Øverkil]] (''acting'')
* 2004–2009 : [[Jørn Holme]]
* 2009 : Roger Berg (''acting'')
* 2009–2012 : [[Janne Kristiansen]]
* 2012 : Roger Berg (''acting'')
* 2012–2019 : [[Marie Benedicte Bjørnland]]
* 2019–2022: [[Hans Sverre Sjøvold]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://pst.no/ledelsen/|title=Ledelsen |trans-title=Management |website=PST |language=no |access-date=2019-08-12}}</ref>
* 2022- : [[Beate Gangås]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Beate Gangås ny sjef PST |url=https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/beate-gangas-ny-sjef-pst/id2937741/#:~:text=Beate%20Gang%C3%A5s%20(59)%20ble%20i,sin%20stilling%20tidligere%20i%20%C3%A5r. |publisher=Norwegian Government |access-date=30 October 2022 |language=Norwegian}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://pst.no/ Official website] (in Norwegian)
*[https://lovdata.no/dokument/INS/forskrift/2005-08-19-920 Instruction for the Norwegian Police Security Service] (in Norwegian)
*[http://www.lovdata.no/all/nl-19950203-007.html Law on oversight of Intelligence, Surveillance and Security Agencies] {{in lang|no}}

{{Norwegian Security Services}}
{{National Intelligence Agencies}}
{{Norwegian Police Service}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Norwegian Police Security Service| ]]
[[Category:1937 establishments in Norway]]