This book presents an in-depth exploration of contemporary police leadership in Norway, drawing on unique data from police leaders. Through interviews with former and current police commissioner, police chiefs, prosecutors, and law enforcement executives, it examines their backgrounds, leadership philosophies, and the evolving role of top management within the Nordic model of policing.
Situating police leadership within broader societal and organizational contexts, the book analyzes the impact of reforms, crisis, crime trends, and elite influence on decision-making at the highest levels. It offers insights into how leadership shapes daily operations, investigations, and long-term strategic development.
By synthesizing the experiences of Norway's most senior police leaders--alongside perspectives from Swedish and Danish national police commissioners--the book provides a previously unexplored perspective on modern police leadership. Concluding with a new model for contemporary top-level police leadership, it is a valuable resource for scholars, policing professionals, and those interested in law enforcement governance.
Rune Glomseth graduated from the Norwegian Police Academy in 1983 and holds a Master of Public Administration, with qualifications in Law, Political Science, and Pedagogy. He has first-tier academic competence in organization and leadership and nearly 40 years of experience in policing. He is now an Associate Professor Emeritus at the Norwegian Police University College and an independent consultant in leadership and organizational development. For 25 years, he led leadership programs at the college and trained the Norwegian Police Security Service, the National Criminal Investigation Service, and several police districts. He has also contributed to international police leadership programs in Serbia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. This year, he is engaged as an expert on police leadership by the Norwegian Ministry of Defence in a leadership development program for police leaders in Montenegro. Glomseth has published extensively on police leadership and culture, co-editing Politiledelse (2015), Politiledelse en helhetlig modell (2023), and Police Leadership - a Norwegian Approach (Springer, 2025). He continues to teach leadership at universities and colleges across Norway.
Ole Boe is a full professor of organization and leadership at the Norwegian Police University College and the University of South-Eastern Norway and a professor II of crisis management and preparedness at the INN University of Inland Norway. He holds a PhD in cognitive psychology and previously served as an associate professor at the Norwegian Military Academy and the Norwegian Defence University College, where he taught military leadership and conducted leadership development for officers. He has published over 440 scientific works on stress management, character strengths, decision making, military leadership and leadership development. He is an editor and author/coauthor of nine books.
