Ørnulf Tofte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Assistant Chief of Police
Ørnulf Tofte
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| Head of Counter-Intelligence, Norwegian Police Surveillance Agency | |
| In office ?–1987 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 February 1922 Kristiania, Norway |
| Died | 26 August 2020 (aged 98) Bærum, Norway |
| Profession | Police officer |
Ørnulf Tofte (born February 12, 1922 – died August 26, 2020) was a Norwegian police officer. He played a very important role in Norway's intelligence service during the Cold War. He served as an assistant chief of police. He also led the counter-intelligence department within the Police Surveillance Agency.
Tofte helped uncover several secret Soviet spies. He personally arrested famous spies like Asbjørn Sunde, Gunvor Galtung Haavik, and Arne Treholt. Tofte was widely recognized for his work during the Cold War. He received a special award, the King's Medal of Merit in Gold, in 1987. In the same year, he published a book about his life called Spaneren.
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About Ørnulf Tofte's Life
Ørnulf Tofte was born in Kristiania, Norway, on February 12, 1922. His parents were Tor and Gudrun Tofte. He was married to Odlaug Larsen. He passed away in Bærum, Norway, on August 26, 2020. He was 98 years old.
Tofte's Police Career
Tofte finished police training in March 1940. He started working as a police constable.
World War II Service
During World War II, he joined the resistance movement in 1940. In 1942, he went to Sweden. He served in the Norwegian police troops in Sweden until the war ended.
Joining the Surveillance Agency
In 1948, Tofte joined the Police Surveillance Agency. This agency works to protect Norway from threats, especially from other countries. He was promoted to sergeant in 1952. He became an inspector in 1954.
Eventually, he rose to become the Assistant Chief of Police. He was also the Head of Counter-Intelligence. This meant he was in charge of finding and stopping foreign spies in Norway. He reported directly to the head of the agency.
Major Spy Cases
Tofte was involved in the investigations of all three major spy cases in Norway during the Cold War. These were the Sunde case, the Haavik case, and the Treholt case. He personally arrested all three individuals. He also led the investigations for the Haavik and Treholt cases.
Tofte believed that "Treholt's abilities to manipulate people around him" were why the Treholt case was still talked about.
Fighting for Democracy
Tofte stated that his fight against communism was like fighting for democracy. He saw it as a battle against dictatorship. In a 2016 interview, he said that Norway and Western countries were in a New Cold War with Russia.
In his last interview in April 2020, Tofte talked about the COVID-19 pandemic. He compared it to other big challenges he had experienced. These included the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War.
His Autobiography
In 1987, Ørnulf Tofte published his autobiography. It was titled Spaneren.
Awards and Recognition
He received the King's Medal of Merit in Gold when he retired in 1987. This award recognized his important contributions.
