Police Organization in the Netherlands

Jazić, Aleksandar (2024) Police Organization in the Netherlands. In: Thematic Conference Proceedings of International Significance / XIII International scientific conference “Archibald Reiss Days”, Belgrade, 8-9 November 2023. University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies, Belgrade, pp. 274-285. ISBN 978-86-7020-512-3; 978-86-7020-190-3

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Abstract

The organization of the police in the Netherlands has undergone significant changes over the past half a century. Competent institutions were looking for the best solution that would enable more efficient organization and work of the police. A good aspect of these transformations is the adaptation of the police organization to changes in society, as well as to new threats to the safety of citizens. The most important aspect is the adaptation of the functioning of the police to the needs of citizens, that is, the development of its organization in the direction of shaping the police as a service that should serve citizens. In the Netherlands, the authority over the police is divided between several state entities, which speaks of the democracy of the political system in this country. In terms of democracy, the participation of local government representatives in the functioning of the police and in making de-cisions about its management should also be emphasized. Local authorities, knowing the best needs of their citizens, can directly influence the work of the police in a way that will best suit the needs of the citizens. The participation of local authorities in their work is also important for the police, because they can easily gain insight into the daily needs of citizens and potential security threats that exist at the local level. Contact with local authorities, that is, citizens, brings another advantage for the police, which is the possibility of more effective preventive action, which strengthens security and eliminates potential dangers at the very start. The division of responsibilities over the police and the participation of local authorities in the functioning of the police also achieves effective control over the implementation of police responsibilities, which prevents or significantly complicates potential abuses. Consequently, citizens are protected from the appearance of arbitrariness and they exercise control over the police indirectly through democratically elected authorities. From the aspect of control, it is also important that the local authorities participate in the work of the police, because they are the closest to the citizens. It is a significant fact that unnecessary costs are avoided in the work of the police, and the money saved is directed to the training of police officers and the purchase of new equipment. This avoids spending funds on the existence of parts of the system that do not contribute to more efficient police work, but only burden the budget intended for the police. As we saw in the text, the police organization in the Netherlands is divided into regions, which brings with it certain advantages. For example, it enables the adaptation of police work to the needs that differ from region to region. The way of functioning and the number of police officers is adapted to each region, because a different number of citizens live in each region. In addition to the regional police, the existence and functioning of the KLPD has an important place. This ensures the functioning of the police in the Netherlands as a whole, because otherwise there would be a danger that each of the regional police forces would start functioning independently, without paying attention to the common interests of all citizens in the area of security. In addition, without a central police organization, it could happen that the jobs of the regional police forces overlap, which would reduce the efficiency of police work and in-crease unnecessary costs. By exercising jurisdiction in safety regions, the organization of the police in the Netherlands has demonstrated a willingness to act in situations that have a wider scope, as well as the ability to act effectively at a level that is higher than the local level. Since safety regions are not political regions, but rather regions established to respond to emergency situations, regional police forces in the Netherlands are prepared to act in situations involving activities that differ significantly from their regular activities. It is another indicator that after effective reforms, the police organization is well thought out and set up. It can be concluded that the organization of the police in the Netherlands has a modern character, because it has characteristics that are present in democratic societies. One of the examples is adaptation to the existing decentralization, which is a sign that it is a democratically founded institution.

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