Law enforcement in Greenland

Greenland

Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...

, a self-governing province of Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

 is provided by a branch of the Rigspolitiet

Rigspolitiet

Rigspolitiet is the state national police force of Denmark. Administered by a framework of laws dictated by the Folketing and the government's Minister for Justice, Rigspolitiet polices all regions governed by Denmark, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland.-Leadership:Rigspolitiet is...

, the Danish national police

Police

The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...

 service. Since 2006, Greenland has constituted one of the 12 police districts of the Rigspolitiet, headed by a commissioner based in Nuuk

Nuuk

Nuuk, is the capital of Greenland, the northernmost capital in North America and the largest city in Greenland. Located in the Nuup Kangerlua fjord, the city lies on the eastern shore of the Labrador Sea and on the west coast of Sermersooq. Nuuk is the largest cultural and economic center in...

, the capital of Greenland.

Levels of crime

The country is thought to be relatively safe. "Single women travelling in Greenland don't generally encounter any special worries." (Lonely Planet) Greenland's main problems in crime are generally linked to drinking or drug use, which has led to outlawing of alcohol in some towns and villages (Lonely Planet). Some bars like the "disreputable Hotel Tupilak disco produces plenty of broken glass." Other issues such as domestic violence and solvent abuse also plague Greenland. Most large towns of populations upwards of 1,000 and some smaller ones have a police presence with a contact number to keep on good relations with locals and tourists. For serious offenses, Lonely Planet's guide to Greenland and the Arctic is quick to point out that while the bigger towns have jails, the sentences are brief and its inmates can be found drinking on holidays out of the jail. The worst criminals are sent to Denmark, but this happens rarely.