83 years ago, Finland was struggling to overcome the legacy of a bloody civil war, with lengthy strikes troubling captains of industry. The solution was simple: a highly visible, semi-militarised force that would be on hand to calm industrial strife.
Labour disputes became rarer as the 1920s wore on, and the department switched focus to try and prevent bootleggers from breaking Finland’s prohibition-era alcohol legislation. Prohibition ended in 1932, leaving the force at more of a loose end until 1935 when it began to supervise road traffic.
There wasn’t a great deal to supervise at that point, but the department quickly gained the “Flying squad” nickname (“Lentävä Poliisi”). In 1944 the force was officially renamed the traffic police. After the Second World War, the force grew to around 3,000-strong as the authorities looked to maintain stability in a war-ravaged country.
In the 1950s there were few cars but many accidents on the highways and byways of Finland. 60 years ago there were more fatalities on the roads than there are now.
Deregulation expands car ownership
Up until 1962 consumers needed a license to import cars. Once that restriction was lifted the number of vehicles exploded, and bad drivers met poorly paved rural roads to create the perfect conditions for accidents. The traffic police were needed more than ever.
Half a century ago the force had a paternal, educational role, and even carried mechanics to assist with any problems motorists might encounter. Even drivers who ran out of petrol could rely on a friendly policeman to fill up their tank at the same price they would pay at the pump.
A public appeal helped pay for 50 new transport police vehicles, but that failed to slow the increase in accidents. In 1972 1,156 people died on Finnish roads, a high figure that proved to be a turning point.
Finally, in 1973, President Urho Kekkonen used his New Year speech to demand stricter traffic legislation. Legislation making seat belts mandatory, setting a drink-drive limit, and bringing in speed limits followed. They led to new duties for traffic cops and a safer environment for road users.
In 2012 the number of road deaths had declined to 255, a reduction of nearly a thousand on the 1972 peak. Responsibility for keeping that figure down now rests with the ordinary police, rather than the now defunct transport police unit.