Netherlands

Currently, law enforcement services in The Netherlands are provided by 25 regional police forces and one national force called the Netherlands Police Agency, referred to as “NPA” in English or “KLPD” in Dutch. 

KLPD is headed by the Minister of Justice who is responsible for the overall quality of policing throughout the country.   

Mandate:

• Crime prevention;
• Crime investigation;
• Upholding law and order;
• Providing assistance and support.

 With a strength of 55,000 men and women (one Police officer for every 375 inhabitants) KLPD has the following responsibilities:

• Routine police patrolling;
• Investigative work;
• Crime prevention;
• Traffic duties;
• Environmental monitoring;
• Maintaining public order.

Other national law enforcement bodies include:

• Koninklijke Marechaussee (Military Police - gendarmerie);
• Douane (Border Patrol, Customs);
• FIOD (tax fraud);
• SIOD (social security fraud);
• Algemene Inspectie Dienst AID (agricultural offences).

The way forward

In the near future, a single national police force will replace the existing system and forces.

The new force will be part of the Ministry of Security and Justice, and headed by a Police Commissioner. The force will consist of 10 territorially defined police units which will each be responsible for police work in their part of the country.

For all policing duties that can best be performed at national level (such as those currently carried out by the National Crime Squad), a national unit within the national police force will be established.

In addition, a police service centre will be created within the national force to handle all support services related to operational management (such as information technology, purchasing, accommodation and human resources). This unit will help increase police efficiency.

INTERPOL The Hague

The INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) for the Netherlands is part of IPOL, a unit of the Netherlands Police Agency (NPA) which is specialized in fighting organized crime. 

About 10 people work at the INTERPOL desk.  Their job is to ensure the swift and efficient exchange of sensitive information with the INTERPOL community over the Organization’s secure private network.

INTERPOL The Hague works regularly with all INTERPOL member countries, linking their investigations with counterparts in the Netherlands, particularly the public prosecutor’s office, border patrol and the tax fraud unit.