Why Danish police play Fortnite with children during working hours

For Denmark’s law-enforcement officers, fighting crime sometimes means jumping into video games and chatting with young players.

A POP officer showing his gaming skills to children at an exhibition. Prosabladet

Playing video games during working hours is a quick way to get into trouble at most workplaces. Employees can earn a reprimand or, if it keeps happening, it can even cost them their jobs. But for officers of a special unit of the Danish police, gaming is not a distraction from the job — it’s their official duty, paid from taxpayer money.

There is certainly a fun side to the job, but it is far from just entertainment.

So, what does this unit do if not chasing criminals through city streets?

When the officers serving in the Danish National Police’s online patrol unit or POP (Politiets Online Patrulje) arrive at work, they may log into Discord servers, play Counter-Strike or Call of Duty, answer questions on Twitch, or chat with teenagers on TikTok.

Established in 2022, this dedicated digital policing unit meets young people in the virtual spaces they use every day. The team patrols social media and gaming platforms, engages directly with users, and helps victims report crimes ranging from online harassment and fraud to grooming and sextortion, according to Prosabladet.

What may sound unconventional to police forces in other countries actually reflects a simple reality: today’s children spend much of their social lives online, and that’s where many crimes against them now begin.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO READ THIS STORY

Why games are a police business

For previous generations, strangers posed risks in parks or shopping malls. For today’s teenagers, those strangers are more likely to appear in multiplayer games, chat apps and social media.

Gaming platforms have evolved into enormous social spaces where millions of young people spend hours not only playing but also talking with friends — and with people they have never met. Most interactions are harmless. But some are not.

For online predators, this space is where they hunt for victims, using games to build relationships with children before moving conversations to private messaging apps. Scammers, in particular, exploit young gamers with fake trades, fraudulent offers or virtual currencies. Cyberbullies follow victims across multiple platforms, while sextortion schemes often begin with innocent conversations growing more serious over time.

The problem is that many young victims never tell parents or teachers. Some fear losing access to their phones or gaming accounts while others are embarrassed or simply don’t realize they are being manipulated.

That is exactly the gap Denmark’s Online Patrol tries to fill.

An officer watching a boy playing Minecraft. Prosabladet

The internet neighborhood

Community policing has always relied on familiarity and trust. Decades ago, local officers built relationships by walking into neighborhoods, meeting families, talking to teenagers, visiting schools or joining children in football matches. The same approach has been applied to the digital generations.

POP’s goal goes beyond responding to crimes. It is as much about education as enforcement.

The 12-strong POP team stream live on Twitch, with officers answering questions from viewers for hours. Some ask about bicycle helmet laws, for example. Others want advice after receiving threats online or being pressured to share intimate images.

The officers also promote digital literacy, offering practical advice on topics such as identifying fake news, recognizing online scams, protecting personal data, and understanding the opportunities and risks posed by artificial intelligence. By helping young people become more informed digital citizens, the unit aims to prevent problems before they become crimes.

Inside their offices, gaming computers stand alongside a small studio used to film videos for social media. Officers identify themselves by numbers rather than surnames, making conversations feel less intimidating while maintaining professional boundaries.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO READ THIS STORY

The philosophy behind this approach is simple: before children decide to report a crime, they first need someone they trust. And winning young people’s trust requires more than creating official accounts.

Speaking teenagers’ language

In the months before launching, Danish officers developed internal guidelines covering their behavior in the digital world, including language, humor, privacy and ethics. They deliberately adopted internet culture — using memes, slang and platform-specific communication styles — without trying to become influencers.

This kind of blending is important and requires a delicate balance. If the officers appear too formal, then teenagers ignore them. If they sound too casual, they might lose credibility.

So, the POPs developed their own brand communication that relies on authenticity rather than marketing and, according to Danish police, it’s working.

POP is actually popular in Danish society. It has grown into one of the world’s most visible examples of digital community policing, attracting more than 790,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram, Discord, Twitch, Facebook, Reddit, and YouTube.

In 2024, POP received around 6,500 inquiries/tips from citizens, according to its annual report, the latest available. The unit initiated more than 260 investigations based on information received online. Many cases involved children who said they would never have contacted police through traditional channels.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO READ THIS STORY

Denmark is not alone

As young people’s lives increasingly move online, police forces elsewhere are experimenting with similar ideas.

In the Netherlands, local police officers regularly join young people in games such as Fortnite and Minecraft, just like their Danish colleagues, using gaming sessions to start conversations, answer questions and strengthen relationships within local communities.

Police agencies in Norway and Finland have also expanded their digital presence on gaming platforms and social media, while forces in Britain, Australia, Canada and the United States increasingly use TikTok, Discord, Twitch and other platforms to engage with younger audiences, provide safety advice and encourage reporting of online abuse.

The methods differ from country to country, but the underlying goal is the same: making law enforcement visible where young people actually spend their time.

As governments around the world debate how to make the digital environment safer, Denmark’s approach offers a different lesson. Instead of relying only on mass surveillance systems to police the digital world, perhaps there is another path: entering the world of younger generations, earning their trust, and helping them develop the judgment and responsibility needed to avoid carrying harmful online behavior into the real world.

The media industry has a curious way of treating experience. After more than 25 years in journalism, I’m a bit too old to chase every breaking story, a bit too expensive for many editorial budgets, and nowhere near retirement age. I still have stories to tell. If you think they’re worth reading, consider buying me a book. It won’t make me rich — but it will help me keep researching and writing. Buy Me a Coffee (https://buymeacoffee.com/newscafe) and Medium (https://medium.com/@sensmedia.srl) are my only sources of income right now.

CARE TO DONATE? CLICK ON THIS IMAGE. THANK YOU.