National Police Corps (Netherlands)

The Dutch National Police has a long and diverse history, having undertaken many major reforms in its history, the latest being in 2012 with the introduction of one police force. Below, you will find a timeline of the Dutch National Police's history.

The Dutch Police history starts in 1581, with the formation of the Dutch Republic. A simple police organization was created without clear tasks and powers. This stayed the same until 1810, when Napoleon annexed the Netherlands to the French Empire and started to set up a proper police force. Cities could free up money for a schout (sheriff); for towns this was a Veldwachter (constable).

The Netherlands regained its independence in 1813 and a year later King William I established the Corps de Marechaussee. The corps had twelve hundred employees and was a branch of the armed forces. It performs military tasks for the armed forces and non-military tasks for the Rijkspolitie (national police). In 1858, in addition to the Marechaussee, the Korps Rijksveldwacht (national constable corps) was created with fourteen hundred employees. This force focused on public order in rural areas. In addition to the two corps, there was also a Gemeentepolitie (municipal police) with eleven thousand employees, Politietroepen (police troops) with sixteen hundred employees, and the Gemeenteveldwacht (municipal constable).

During the Second World War there was a Reichskommissar fur die Niederlande, Arthur Seyss-Inquart. The entire police force numbered about twenty thousand employees. After the war, this service is disbanded. To restore and control public order, the government decided to set up a new police organization in November 1945. A distinction was made between the Gemeentepolitie (municipal police) for designated municipalities, and the Rijkspolitie (national police) for the rest of the country.

The split disappeared in 1994, when the Police Act of 1993 took effect. After a major reorganization, the Rijkspolitie (national police) and Gemeentepolite (municipal police) were merged into 25 Regiokorpsen (regional police forces) and the Korps Landelijke Politiediensten (national police services agency). Each corps worked autonomously. This structure lasted until January 1, 2013. From that day on, the police have been one organization, the Korps Nationale Politie (national police corps), divided into ten Regionale Eenheden (regional units), a Landelijke Eenheid (national unit), a Politieacademie (police academy), and the Politiedienstencentrum (police services center) that handles personnel. From then on, one Commissioner of police has directed police in the Netherlands. Since then, the police have started a new temporary branch for a joint dispatch center transition to one national system, known as the Landelijke Meldkamer Samenwerking (national dispatch center cooperation),^[4] and also split the Landelijke Eenheid (national unit) into two national units on January 1, 2024, one for expertise and operations, and one for investigation and interventions. The split was due to the unit being too big and diverse in its tasks for employees to progress, additionally the large spread of tasks made some services not get along, creating a negative work environment, the Schneiders Committee reported this decision because it would create clear separation and space to focus on specialized tasks.^[5]

In 2013 the police in the Netherlands was reorganized into its current structure with only minor changes since. The structure contains ten regional units, two national units (one for expertise & operations, the other for investigation and interventions), the police academy, the police services center, and the national dispatch center cooperation, all under one national police. Additionally, the police leadership has a small council and staff. Below, you find a list of all the units in detail.

Every regionale eenheid (regional unit) is led by a unitchef (unit chief), a Hoofdcommissaris (Chief Commissioner) who conducts the day-to-day police force management. Decisions about the principal law enforcement policies are made by a regional board, the so-called Driehoek (triangle) whose chairman is the eenheidsbeheerder (unit manager). The eenheidsbeheerder is usually the mayor of the largest municipality in the region. The other board members of the Driehoek are the unit chief and the local chief prosecutor.

A region consists of several districts, each having a district chief. Each district consists of a number of local units, called basiseenheden (basic units) or teams.

The "police strength", the number of constables and other police employees in a region is determined by the number of inhabitants and the amount of crime in the region. So the smallest regional force counts about 3,000 police officers, while the largest one counts more than 8,000 police employees. There are about 66,000 police employees serving in the Netherlands.

Selected police officers may also be deployed in a riot police mobile unit. Mobile units are called in to deal with serious public order offences. Each police region has one or more units on stand-by for a total of 45 mobile units nationwide, each of which has about 50 members (including middle-ranking and senior officers). Nine units have also been trained to respond to incidents on maritime vessels. The mobile unit also incorporates plain clothes units known as 'aanhoudingseenheden'. These groups target specific suspects of public order offenses.

The National Expertise and Operations Unit builds a strengthened national intelligence picture by operating at a (inter)national level. Its main goal is to increase and strengthen the operational strength of the police. The unit makes high-quality knowledge, skills, intelligence/information, technology, and equipment available to other units and, where possible, to other security partners. In addition, it carries out broad police tasks (enforcement and investigation) on the main infrastructure, with specialist animals, and in the domain of VIP protection. This is done in consultation with the regional units. The police chief is Inge Godthelp. She is supported by the unit leadership and a staff. The LX has five services listed below.

The National Operational Center Service is the heart of the management of all current operations and ensures overview and coherence. To this end, the Operational Center permanently has a complete and up-to-date operational picture: what is going on in society and what people and resources do the police have available? This way, the Operational Center can make adjustments if necessary and tailor the police force to the security situation at that time.

The intelligence department performs specific, national tasks such as international information exchange and national information coordination. The departments also provide an overview and insight into the (inter)national security situation for operational police work. The service within the police also functions as a contact point for Europol, Interpol and Dutch liaison officers who work abroad on behalf of the police. In addition, the Intelligence LX fulfils the intelligence function for the domains within the LX.

The Specialist Operations Service provides operational support and high-quality (technological) innovation to the Dutch police. With its many specialist tasks, the service strengthens the regional and national units. Some of the services, among others, are the mounted police, search and specialist animals, the specialists of the National Forensic Service Center and the Network of Expertise Teams.

The Infrastructure Service combats insecurity and crime on the Dutch main infrastructure: on the highways, waters, rails and in aviation. The service also provides helicopter air support to increase the effectiveness of the police.

The police monitor and protect people, objects and services (ex: Dutch royal family, other dignitaries assigned by the authorized minister) at a national, regional, and local level. These security measures are well coordinated. As the threat increases or the security task becomes more complex, the measures to be taken also increase. In such situations, the Royal and Diplomatic Protection Service takes on a more prominent role and provides support with specific expertise and special resources. The service does this in close collaboration with the National Coordinator for Counter terrorism and Security, and the Public Prosecution Service.

The National Unit Investigation & Interventions works at a national and international level to combat serious and organized crime, terrorism, and cybercrime. In addition, the unit supports the police throughout the Netherlands with special interventions (DSI) and secret operations (AO). The unit does this in close cooperation with the regional units and partners. The police chief is Rob van Bree. He is supported by the unit leadership and a staff. The LO has four services listed below.

The National Criminal Investigation Service combats serious and organized crime. But also, specific phenomena such as environmental crime, terrorism, and high-tech crime. In addition, the service is the official national investigative agency if Dutch people, or Dutch property outside of national borders become involved in or are the target of attacks or serious, organized crime activities.

The intelligence service contributes to the management and enrichment of criminal investigations, priorities and choices within the unit. They also enrich insight into phenomena and forms of crime. In addition, the intelligence LO fulfils the intelligence function within domains such as the intelligence service, secret operations and other partnerships (ex: National cooperation against undermining crime).

Hidden Operations carries out shielded, covert operations in support of criminal investigations and provides (security) advice for criminal investigations. various teams carry out work for the regional units, the VIP Security system, the Rijksrecherche (internal investigations department), the Royal Marechaussee, the RST (kingdom investigations cooperation) and the BODs (special enforcement agencies). In addition, Hidden Operations collaborates with intelligence services and international partners.

The Special Intervention Service combats all forms of serious violence and terrorism. The Police Arrest and Support Teams are part of this service. They act if it can reasonably be assumed that there are circumstances that are life-threatening for the police or others. They are the counterterrorism unit of the country.

The operational management of the police: finances, facility maintenance, information management, IT, communication, and human resources are organized nationally in the Police Services Center (PDC). It supports operational police work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Business operations staff do this from the PDC or, where necessary, in the field. Business operations provide the products and services that operational officers need to be able to work. By taking care of business operations, officers within the units have more time for actual police work. The Police services center has three locations in Rotterdam, Zwolle, and Eindhoven.^[6]

The Landelijke Meldkamer Samenwerking or LMS is a relatively independent division of the police. The LMS manages and operates 10 shared regional dispatch centers. Each dispatch center houses police, ambulance services, fire brigade, and military police operators. If one center cannot operate another center can take over. These centers receive calls to 112 that automatically get directed to the national dispatch center, then they get put through to the right region. From there an operator asks and puts you through to the right service section in the building, the operator of that service directs the units to the location and gives them details as they come in, the operator also sees the units locations to be able to choose the closest units. The operator also determines if the situation is an emergency, and what priority the situation is, there are three priorities^[7][8](One: use of lights and sirens, the vehicle is considered a priority vehicle. Two: no use of light and sirens, but vehicle has certain exemptions like driving the wrong way, parking on sidewalk, etc. Three: no use of lights and sirens and no exemptions, the vehicle is a regular road user).^[9]

Coming soon

The daily police uniform has slide-on ranks, partly for quick replacement, while dress and parade uniforms have fixed, more professional ranks. Within the Dutch police the following ranks are in use:^[10]

The equipment carried by every Dutch police officer consists of the following:

• Samsung Galaxy S21 with the MEOS app, giving access to all required national and EU police databases, and writing tickets, reports etc.
• SHN or LIPS handcuffs
• Bonowi EKA-51 Camlock baton
• TW 1000 pepper spray
• Axon TASER X2^[11]
• Walther P99Q NL^[12][13] with extra magazines
• C2000 radio
• Flashlight
• Door stopper

Police trainees are armed with a handgun when they pass their handgun training; before passing trainees perform their duties with only pepper spray, handcuffs, and a baton.

From the 1940s to the 1970s, the duty pistols were FN 10/22.^[14]

The German-made Walther P5 used since 1978 while Arrest- and Support units were armed with the Austrian-made Glock 17 pistol and/or a submachine gun, usually the German-made Heckler & Koch MP5.

It was originally planned to be replaced by the SIG Sauer PPNL, a 9×19mm Parabellum version of the SIG Sauer P250, but the contract was canceled due to the failure of several safety tests.^[15]

The Dutch National Police uses a selection of motor vehicles for its tasks. The current fleet of the DNP is made up of mostly Mercedes-Benz and Audi, but some Volkswagen vehicles still remain from a contract that ended in 2018. The vehicles the DNP uses are divided in marked and unmarked vehicles.^[16] The marked units are white with blue and red striping on the side and carrying a light bar on the roof. The cars are fitted with better suspension, megaphone and multiple communication devices on board. The back is fitted with a container for various hand tools. Distinct are the riot control units (ME) and the SWAT (AT) units.

Main all-purpose patrol vehicle:

• Volkswagen Touran
  • Is being replaced by the Mercedes-Benz B-Class
    • Trials for replacement by BMW X1 and Ford Kuga
  • Also used as K-9 unit

All-purpose vehicle:

• Volkswagen Transporter (T5)
  • Is being replaced by Mercedes-Benz Vito
    • Also used as prisoner transport and bicycle transport by some units

Fast intervention Unit (LX)

• Audi A6

Riot police transport (ME)

• Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
  • Also used as K-9 unit (4 dogs) and video observation vehicle.

For various other tasks the DNP uses:

• Audi A4 (Arrest and Support unit)
• Audi A4 Sedan (security of the Royal House and politicians)
• Audi A6 (unmarked police)
• BMW 5 Series (special firearms team or security of the Royal House and politicians, Arrest and Support unit)
• BMW X5 (Arrest and Support unit, Royal House/politicians security)
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan (unmarked traffic police)
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class (unmarked (traffic) police)
• Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (mostly used by the unit "accident analyzation")
• Mercedes-Benz Vario (for the transport of special bomb dogs, semi-unmarked)
• Nissan Patrol (armored vehicle, 4x4 vehicle or not armored for beach patrols)
• Opel Insignia (unmarked police)
• Opel Vivaro (forensic teams or dog transport, sometimes still in use as police patrol van)
• Škoda Superb (unmarked police)
• Toyota Land Cruiser (armored and unmarked vehicle for special security operations)
• Volkswagen Amarok (4x4 vehicle)
• Volkswagen Caddy
• Volkswagen Golf (for normal surveillance and also as unmarked police)
• Volkswagen Golf GTD (traffic police)
• Volkswagen Golf Plus (not used in the whole country)
• Volkswagen Polo (also as unmarked car for normal patrols)
• Volkswagen Passat (also as unmarked police)
• Volkswagen Transporter (T5) (unmarked for special firearms teams and marked for normal patrol)
• Volkswagen Transporter (T6) (Bicycle transportation)
• Volkswagen Touran (standard patrol car and also as unmarked police)
• Volkswagen Touareg (armored vehicle for airports and political buildings)
• Volvo S60 (for personnel of the Royal House)

   

• Mercedes-Benz G-Class (retired)
• Opel Astra (retired)
• Ford F350 (retired)
• Volvo V50 (retired)
• Volvo V70 (retired)
• Jeep Wrangler (retired)

Since 2012, the new Dutch Police Law (Politiewet 2012) passed. The article which describes the police, has been changed from article 2, to article 3.

Article 3 of the Dutch Police law describes what the missions of the police are: "The task of the police is to, in subordination to the authorities and complying with applicable law, take care of the actual upholding of the legal order and to supply aid to those who need it." In practice this comes down to four main missions.

• Prevention (preventing offences and crimes)
• Investigation of crimes and offences
• Upholding the legal order
• Supplying assistance to civil authorities

Within the police, several departments are occupied with parts of these main tasks.

All calls to the national police number 0900-8844 come in around the clock.^[17]

For a number of years, the communications centers have used the Gemeenschappelijk Meldkamer Systeem (Common Communications Center System, GMS). This system has a lot of functions. In the first place it functions as a plotting screen which displays every unit logged in. It also has a database function for procedures and phone numbers necessary for correctly executing police work and it links to the C2000 system and the CityGIS (GPS) system.

C2000 is the digital, secure communications system and, with CityGIS, police cars can be tracked on a map using GPS, which can be reported to the communications center using a VDO navigation system.

In the Netherlands basic police work consists of the following tasks:

• Visible public policing: being visibly present on the street, on foot or in a marked car, prevents people from committing offences and crimes.
• Basic detective work: investigating petty thefts and burglaries is part of basic police work; when the case takes up too much time, it is transferred to the special branch.
• Giving crime prevention advice: giving advice on how to deter burglaries, advising municipalities on traffic issues, consultancy, etc.
• Providing assistance: assistance is provided to those who ask for it but also to game wardens, municipalities and other civil authorities etc.
• Dealing with traffic issues: traffic surveillance, handling traffic accidents, advising citizens and municipalities, traffic congestion security.
• Maintaining laws and regulations (often in conjunction with the special service): e.g., checking if foreigners are in possession of the right documents (visa, residence permit, work permit etc.) in cooperation with the immigration service.
• Special tasks: apart from daily activities a few special tasks are part of basic policing; these are executed independently or in conjunction with normal police activities, like the vice squad.
• National, (inter)regional investigations: investigating serious crimes such as murder, drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, youth delinquency, arms trade, fraud, big environmental cases and sexual offences; the detectives are often supported by specialists.
• Information management: gathering and processing technical information (such as photographs and fingerprints) and information about criminal organizations by for example the Criminele Inlichtingen Eenheid (Criminal Intelligence Unit, CIE).
• Aliens: issuing residence permits and supervising people staying in the Netherlands who do not have Dutch citizenship.
• Environmental service: because environmental law is complex, this is a specialist mission. In several Dutch municipalities these tasks are entrusted to a special Milieupolitie (Environmental police).
• Operational support tasks: tasks that support basic law enforcement or specialist tasks, such as police horse and dog care, the Mobiele Eenheid (Mobile Unit, riot control), Aanhoudings- en Ondersteuningseenheid" (Arrest and Supportunit, established for high-risk arrests) and observatieteams (observation teams, OT; comparable to ).

The Dutch government is keen to put more and more police "on the street". This means that the use of ICT will have to be improved so that constables do not lose a lot of time noting all their observations on paper for later use. The uniformed policemen on the street are those of the patrol service.

Sometimes police patrols drive directly from the communications center to the location where someone requested assistance. This can be a simple case of someone locking their keys inside their car, a complaint about litter or an inconveniently parked car. There are also more serious calls that need direct attention, like an accident with injuries, a stabbing, a burglary, vandalism; all events where the police have to act and reassure.

Surveillance is not only done from the patrol car, but also from a motorbike or a horse. Especially in crowded malls surveillance is often done on foot or (motor)bike. The men and women on the street have to permanently "keep their eyes open" to spot suspicious behaviour, such as someone walking around looking inside parked cars, cars without working lights or drunken cyclists.

Car owners are told that their lights are broken and why this is dangerous. A constable on foot may tell shop owners to put locks on their shelves outside to prevent shoplifting. If you report on a stolen bike, you will be told what kind of bike locks are most effective.

The police in a municipality are available 24 hours every day for basic law enforcement. More and more often the police will visit schools to teach pupils about drug prevention, vandalism or sex on the internet. The police in a municipality make sure that what is forbidden is not done, and that which is mandatory is actually done. They also make sure that anyone who asks for assistance gets it, supported by personnel from the district and the region. Since the early 90s several police regions have been working with neighborhood teams called neighborhood supervisors.

The police have powers "ordinary" people do not have; e.g., an officer can stop or arrest people, or look in a shopping bag for lifted items, or (on authorization of the assistant prosecutor) search a home for arms. The police also have the power to use force. This power is often called the "monopoly on force". The police are one of the few organisations in the Netherlands that are allowed to use force, the use of which is bound by many rules and preconditions.

The power to stop someone is often confused with the power to arrest someone. The power to stop someone (”staande houden”) is the power of the police to make someone stand still, so that the police can ask for his name and address.

The power to arrest someone (”aanhouden”) is the power to detain an individual and bring him/her before an (assistant) prosecutor to decide on further prosecuting measures. However, this power is not only granted to the police. The Code of Criminal Procedure, article 53, sub 1, reads:

In the event of discovery in the act of a criminal offense, anyone is authorized to arrest the suspect.^[18]

The term "in the act" means "when it is happening". Only the police can arrest after the fact, and only with formal authorization from a prosecutor. Non-police arrests are executed by restraining the suspect while awaiting arrival of police.

The investigative powers of the police are for example described in the Police Law, the Arms and Munitions Law, the Opium Law, the Road Traffic Law 1994, the Law on Entry and the Code of Criminal Procedure.

These powers are bound by very strict rules. Some of these powers may be applied by an officer himself, like the examples before. Other police powers, like wiretapping, observation or searching premises, can only be used after permission is granted by the examining judge.

When providing aid, the police cooperate with other services. When dealing with an accident for example, the police cooperate with ambulance services, doctors, fire brigade and Royal Marechaussee. In the event of serious emergencies, the police cooperate with the fire brigade,^[19] ambulance service,^[20] other government agencies and military forces in the security region corresponding to the police region.^[21] The police also work with international partners and are part of partnerships like the VGT and Interpol.^[22]

For providing support to victims the police cooperate with Slachtofferhulp Nederland (comparable to Victim Support).^[23] The employees of Slachtofferhulp are specially trained to provide support to victims of accidents and crime. They make sure that victims are coached, but they also help with filling in forms for insurance or a lawyer.

The police cooperates closely with support organisations that can continue providing support when the abilities of the police to do so come to an end. A few examples:

• Addiction care like the Consultatiebureau voor Alcohol en Drugs, or Novadic-Kentron.
• Mental health Care (for people who, e.g., want to commit suicide or are a danger to others)^[24]
• The Reclassering Nederland (the Dutch parole office)^[25]
• The youth parole office
• The Raad voor de Kinderbescherming (comparable to the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service)
• Social work, e.g., in case of domestic violence

• Criminal justice system of the Netherlands
• Law of the Netherlands
• Royal Marechaussee
• Fiscal Information and Investigation Service
• Dutch Customs Service

• Politie.nl (in Dutch), website of the National Police Corps
• landelijkemeldkamer.org (in Dutch), website of the National Dispatch Center Cooperation