Norway has a national police force, which means basic training is standardised. Recruits undergo a three year Bachelor's Degree course. In 2009, there were 1990 applicants. Only 432 were accepted.
The first and third year take place at the Norwegian Police University Training Collage. The second year is spent in the field. Norwegian police are divided into five levels, of which four are authorised to carry firearms. Norwegian police do not carry weapons on patrol; handguns, carbines etc are in lock boxes fitted in every patrol car. Authorisation from a senior officer is required for patrol officers to draw weapons. Norwegian police do not use tasers.
Once they graduate, officers must complete a minimum of 40 hours training per year to remain operational. This varies according to the area; Oslo, for example, requires officers stationed there to complete 80 hours of training per year. Elite units, for example VIP close protection, Emergency Services etc, require higher training commitments.