Grímur Hergeirsson: “I take on this role with a positive outlook”
Grímur Hergeirsson. mbl.is/Sigurður Bogi
“I was actually installing a kitchen at home yesterday when I got a call from the Minister of Justice,” says GrímurHergeirsson with a laugh, speaking to mbl.is.
On Friday, Hergeirsson will temporarily take over as National Police Commissioner from Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir, who has requested to step down from the position.
He says he was given little time to consider the offer but ultimately decided to take on the challenge.
“I’m approaching this assignment with a positive attitude and look forward to tackling the important tasks that the great people at the National Commissioner’s Office work on every day,” Hergeirsson says.
30 years in law enforcement under his belt
With a 30-year career in law enforcement, Hergeirsson began his service in 1996 and has served as Chief of Police in South Iceland since 2022.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the position of National Police Commissioner will be advertised soon. When asked whether he plans to apply for the permanent role, Hergeirsson replies:
“To be perfectly honest, I don’t know yet — I haven’t decided. We’ll see how things develop. For now, I’m fully focused on my duties as Chief of Police in South Iceland and will temporarily take over as National Police Commissioner on Friday,” he says.
Sigríður Björk has recently faced heavy criticism following revelations about the Commissioner’s Office’s dealings with Intra, a private company from which it purchased services worth 160 million ISK.
“I’m aware of those issues,” Hergeirsson says, “but I’m full of anticipation. Over the years, I’ve found that it’s better to look ahead rather than in the rearview mirror.”
