Analysis · 2 min read
The camera surveillance that arrived — 2016–2026
The number of police cameras has more than quintupled in six years. The regulatory framework has been loosened in three steps. What does the data say about what the cameras actually do?
Short version in the chapter: Camera surveillance — overview
Published 2026-07-16
From 700 to 3,800 cameras
The Swedish Police Authority's operational reports show a clear increase: from around 700 active cameras in 2018 to 3,800 at the end of 2024 (order of magnitude — no consolidated national time series is published).
The expansion has taken place in step with eased permit rules in 2018, 2020 and 2023.
Three regulatory changes
2018: A new Camera Surveillance Act replaces prior permit requirements with notification duties for police and municipalities in certain cases.
2020: The permit requirement is removed entirely for the police and Customs.
2023: Municipalities are given broader mandate to monitor vulnerable areas without IMY permits.
What does the effect research say?
Brå's review (2019) and subsequent follow-ups show an average reduction of certain property crimes (car break-ins, bicycle theft) of 20–30% in monitored zones. Effects on violent crime remain uncertain.
Brå notes that part of the decline may be explained by displacement to unmonitored areas.
The privacy debate
The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) opened 34 supervisory cases against the police in 2020–2024 concerning camera surveillance. Seven have resulted in criticism or sanctions.
The debate continues about proportionality: more cameras save more property crimes, but at the same time normalise broad monitoring of public spaces.
Counter-arguments and alternative readings
The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) and the Bar Association have consistently objected that the expansion occurs without systematic evaluation of effect. The police report solved cases but not counterfactual analysis — 'would the crime have been solved even without a camera?'.
Legal-sociological research (Törnqvist 2022, Lund) also points to a 'crime displacement' effect: cameras move crime 200–500 meters rather than prevent it. That means crime statistics inside the camera zone can fall without the total volume decreasing.
Method and uncertainty
Data on the number of police cameras (Police 2024) distinguishes fixed cameras, drones, and body cameras. The rapid rise 2020→2026 concerns mostly fixed cameras; drone-hours have tripled during the same period without being counted as 'cameras'.
Municipal safety cameras (Boverket 2024) fall outside police statistics and are operated by municipalities or BID organizations. The total volume is therefore underestimated in the official figure.
What this does NOT say
The analysis takes no position on whether the expansion is desirable. It only describes the volume, the legal drift (permit requirement abolished 2020, extended 2023), and the evaluation vacuum that prevails.
Nor does it say anything about facial recognition. The police use of NIST-tested facial recognition began in 2023 as a pilot; how the volume develops is subject to separate scrutiny.