Three female and 18 male applicants seeking post of Finnish Security Police Chief

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Despite the recent allegations of the Security Police’s questionable actions with respect to the Stasi material and the accusations of political conspiracy by Ambassador Alpo Rusi, an official advertisement seeking a successor for the head of Finland’s Security Police (SUPO) produced a large number of strong applicants.
      The majority of applicants came from inside the Security Police itself, and from the National Bureau of Investigation, five candidates from each.
     
The five candidates from the Security Police are Petri Knape, Hannu Moilanen, Paavo Selin, and Harri Sarvanto, as well as one of the three female applicants, Heli Malmi.
      Tero Kurenmaa and a female applicant Sanna Heikinheimo both come from the National Bureau of Investigation, together with three others.
     
Applicants from the Ministry of the Interior include Robin Lardot and Kari Rantama, as well as Ilkka Salmi, who belongs to the advisory staff of the Minister of the Interior, while on leave of absence from the Security Police.
      State prosecutors Ari-Pekka Koivisto, Jukka Rappe, and Raija Toiviainen, (the third female candidate), are also applying for the post.
      While most of the applicants are known within the police administration, Ilkka Salmi - the special advisor to Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund (National Coalition Party) - has publicly been regarded as the favourite candidate.
      The position became vacant following the announcement in late July that SUPO Director Seppo Nevala, 59, was to withdraw on medical grounds.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Choosing new head of Security Police could take months (31.7.2007)
  COMMENTARY: Security Police stretch legal room to manoeuvre to extreme (28.8.2007)
  Rusi lawyers say Security Police failed in basic task (21.8.2007)
  Debate over disclosure of Stasi material heats up as Security Police director resigns (30.7.2007)

Helsingin Sanomat