As mentioned previously, in terms of intelligence, PET’s primary tasks are to surveil, investigate and prevent actions or plans that are or have the potential to develop into threats to the independence and security of the Kingdom and to the legal order of society, and to prevent such actions or plans from being carried out or implemented.

The operational efforts in this connection are divided into three areas: counter-terrorism, counter-extremism and counter-espionage. These three areas will be further described in the following together with a brief description of a number of tasks within security areas - among others personal protection and security consulting.

Other areas of crime, such as combating organised crime, e.g. biker gang crime, only become a task for PET if the offence is governed by Chapter 12 or 13 of the Danish Penal Code. This was the reason why the Service dealt with biker gang crime in the period from 1991-1998.