Dutch police

The Dutch police exist to maintain public order, investigate and prevent crimes, to enforce criminal law, and to provide assistance in emergencies. The Netherlands has one national police force: the National Police Corps (Korps Nationale Politie).

Contacting the police in the Netherlands

If you were the victim of a crime and would like to report it, you can get in touch with the police in the following ways: 

Call the police on 112 (emergency number)

112 is the emergency number for the police in the Netherlands. It should be used for emergencies only.

Call 0900 8844 (non-emergency number)

If your query is non-urgent, you can call the Dutch police’s non-emergency number 0900 8844 to be connected to an operator who can provide advice. 

If you have to call the Dutch police from abroad, use +31 34 357 88 44.

You can also use the non-emergency number 0800 7000 to report a crime anonymously, or fill in the police’s online contact form. 

Contact the Dutch police online

You can also find various police services online via politie.nl. This includes reporting some crimes, checking hacked email addresses, and searching for lost items.  

Note that the forms for reporting crimes are only available in Dutch. If you do not speak Dutch or don’t have someone who can help you fill out the form, you should visit your local police station to report a crime. 

At your local police station

You can report crimes at your local police station. You should bring a passport or other form of ID. 

You can find your local police station using the search function on the politie.nl website.

Before attending a police station, you should call 0900 8844 to book an appointment first. 

Reach out to your local wijkagent

Every Dutch neighbourhood has its own police officer. This "wijkagent" is an experienced police officer who collaborates with their colleagues in the districts, like detectives and other police officers, and additionally is in contact with other services like the local government, housing corporations or care partners.

The neighbourhood police officer is often the first point of contact for residents and business owners. Because of their diverse network, they know what is happening in the neighbourhood, which enables them to resolve local issues and ideally even prevent certain problems from arising. Many wijkagenten have a physical office hour, or they can be found on social media.

The role of the Dutch police

To achieve its objectives, the Dutch police fulfils several core roles, including but not limited to:

• Being visible on the street: preventing offences and crimes.
• Basic detective work: investigating petty thefts and burglaries.
• Giving advice to the public on preventing crime: how to deter burglaries and keeping safe at night.
• Providing assistance to those who ask for it but also to wardens and municipalities.
• Dealing with traffic issues: traffic surveillance, handling traffic accidents, congestion reduction.
• Maintaining laws and regulations: for example checking if foreigners are in possession of the right documents in cooperation with the immigration service.
• National investigations: serious crimes such as murder, drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms trade, fraud, environmental cases and sexual offences.

Organisation of the Dutch police

Since a 2013 restructure, the Dutch police has been organised into 10 regional units, two central units, a police services centre, and a national dispatch centre. 

Regional units

There are 10 regional police units in the Netherlands, each covering a different province or several Dutch provinces. Of the major Dutch cities, only Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam have their own regional police forces; the others are part of forces that cover a bigger region. 

A regional unit is divided into districts, each led by a commissioner. Each district has a number of frontline teams (Basisteam) that are responsible for basic police work within small geographical areas. They answer emergency calls, patrol the streets, advise on crime prevention, resolve traffic issues, and conduct basic investigations. 

At a district level, the regional unit might also investigate larger or more complex crimes. 

National Unit Expertise & Operations

The National Expertise and Operations Unit works at a national level to build up a national intelligence picture. Its other tasks include: 

• Maintaining operational oversight of all police forces in the Netherlands
• Conducting international intelligence exchanges and maintaining contact with Europol and Interpol 
• Providing high-quality (technological) innovations to regional police forces, including mounted police, search and specialist animals, and forensic expertise 
• Combatting crime on key infrastructure such as motorways, rivers, railways and at airports
• Providing security and protection for members of the Dutch monarchy and other important figures

National Unit Investigation & Interventions

The National Unit Investigation & Interventions works to combat serious and organised crime, terrorism and cybercrime. Its other tasks include: 

• Investigating serious crimes involving Dutch citizens or Dutch property abroad 
• Gathering intelligence
• Carrying out covert operations 
• Police Services Centre

The Police Services Centre provides operational management services to the police force, including finance, ICT, communications and human resources. 

National Dispatch Centre Cooperation

The National Dispatch Centre Cooperation manages and operates 10 regional dispatch centres, which house police, ambulance services, fire brigade and military police operators. These centres receive 112 calls that are directed from the national dispatch centre and put them through to the correct department. 

Police powers in the Netherlands

As in other countries, police in the Netherlands have powers that ordinary citizens do not have. Here’s a breakdown of what they are allowed to do: 

Use of force and weapons

To maintain public order, each police officer in the Netherlands is issued with a 9mm service pistol, a short baton and pepper spray.

However, there are stringent regulations that restrict the use of force and weapons by the police. Force should only be used as a last resort. The Netherlands police force is monitored by a general public survey every two years, which evaluates the experiences of people who have come into contact with police force members. 

Exemption from traffic rules

The police are allowed to break traffic rules if necessary for the performance of their duties. This means they can:

• Drive through red lights
• Use the hard shoulder
• Exceed the speed limit
• Drive on the wrong side of the road

Investigate powers will not in uniform

Police also have investigative powers they can use at any time. This means they can exercise their police powers while off duty and not in uniform. 

Police officers in plain clothes must, however, provide proof of their identity without having to be asked. That means if someone wearing ordinary clothes says they are a police officer, they must show their identification card without being asked. 

Making a complaint about the police

If you have a complaint about the police, for instance if you feel an officer treated you unfairly, you can file a complaint. You can find out more on the Dutch government website.