The Prison and Probation Service Union is strongly criticizing the proposed introduction of “security officers” within the penal reform, arguing they will be ineffective. According to chairman Bo Yde Sørensen, these officers, despite appearing beneficial on paper, may not substantially improve the situation in practice.

Sørensen recalls a previous instance where similar officers were employed, highlighting the reasons for their eventual disuse. The Ministry of Justice, in a written response to the Folketing’s Legal Affairs Committee, revealed that the Prison and Probation Service discontinued the use of these security officers in 2009 because they were unable to adequately contribute to the overall tasks.

A key concern is the difference in qualifications between security officers and regular prison officers. The Ministry of Justice has stated that security officers only need to be 18 years old and undergo a four-month training program. In contrast, aspiring regular prison officers must be at least 21 years old and complete a three-year training program.