“Gut feeling and subtle signals”: Norwegian police officers' strategies for identifying cognitive disabilities in suspects during the initial stages of the legal process

Police officers' ability or inability to identify suspects' cognitive disabilities may directly influence how those suspects are treated and progress through the criminal justice process. Through qualitative interviews with police employees - including both frontline officers and investigators from six districts - this article explores the police's strategies for assessment and identification of cognitive disabilities. Findings show that police officers demonstrate varying levels of understanding of cognitive disabilities and that they base their assessments primarily on personal experience and instinct rather than on formal training and research-based practice. The article further explores legal protection implications by using two international human rights standards: the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Findings underscore the importance of structural adaptations and training to ensure that individuals with cognitive disabilities receive fair treatment in the criminal justice system.