| Politiets Efterretningstjeneste | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1939 |
| Preceding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | Government of Denmark |
| Headquarters | Søborg, Århus and Odense |
| Employees | 780 (2010)[1] |
| Annual budget | 800 million Kr. |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Ministry of Justice of Denmark |
| Website | The 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.
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]
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]
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]
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 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]
Several organs oversee PET in order to make sure the agency does not misuse its powers.
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.)
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]
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: