The National Police Corps () is the national law enforcement agency of the Netherlands, and its sole police force. Constituted under the provisions of the Police Act 2012 (Politiewet 2012), the Corps functions as a single and unified police organisation operating under the political authority of the Minister of Justice and Security.

The National Police Corps is charged with the maintenance of public order, the enforcement of criminal law, the investigation and prevention of crime, and the provision of assistance in emergencies. It possesses general competence over the entire territory of the Netherlands and is vested with both administrative and judicial police powers.

It is divided into ten regional units, two national units, the police academy, police services center, and national dispatch center cooperation. The law-enforcement purposes of these agencies are the investigation of suspected criminal activity, referral of the results of investigations to the courts, and the temporary detention of suspected criminals pending judicial action. Law enforcement agencies, to varying degrees at different levels of government and in different agencies, are also commonly charged with the responsibilities of deterring criminal activity and preventing the successful commission of crimes in progress. The police commissioner () in the Netherlands is Janny Knol since March 1, 2024.

Besides police officers, the Netherlands has about 23,500 peace officers. These officers have a Special Enforcement Officer (SEO) status (Buitengewoon Opsporingsambtenaar) or BOA/Handhaving in Dutch and therefore have police powers (detaining suspects, ask for identification, make an arrest, issue fines within their power of offences and use force). They can be found within the transport police, game wardens and local enforcement agencies. The majority of BOA officers have the authority to carry and use handcuffs which can only be issued to officers who have the power to use force. A few councils also issue their officers, with permission from the Ministry of Justice and Security, police batons, pepper spray and occasionally firearms.

Their task depends on their area of operation. A game warden enforces nature laws, while a local enforcement officer enforces local ordinances and municipal code infractions. In 2018 unions were concerned with the increase of violence against these officers and had decided to make the consideration towards whether they would equip all these officers with the less-lethal weapons, batons and pepper spray, or make them part of the national police force.

History 1581–1812 The history of the Dutch police 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 police force according to similar reforms elsewhere. Cities could free up money for a schout (sheriff); for towns this was a Veldwachter (constable).

1813–1939 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).

1940–1993

During World War II 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.

1994–present The split disappeared in 1994, when the Police Act of 1993 took effect. After a major reorganization, the Rijkspolitie (national police) and Gemeentepolitie (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), 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.

Organisation

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.

Regional Units

The Netherlands is geographically divided by ten regional police units (regionale eenheden). These ten regional units are equal to the ten districts of the Public Prosecutors Office and courts. Each regional unit is divided in other layers of leadership and responsibilities, as described below.

+ Regional units Unit Service area Noord-Nederland (Northern Netherlands) Provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe Oost-Nederland (Eastern Netherlands) Provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel Midden-Nederland (Central Netherlands) Provinces of Utrecht and Flevoland Noord-Holland (Northern Holland) Province of Noord-Holland, except for Amsterdam Amsterdam City of Amsterdam, also Aalsmeer, Amstelveen, Diemen, Ouder-Amstel and Uithoorn Den Haag Province of Zuid-Holland, around the city of The Hague Rotterdam Province of Zuid-Holland, around the city of Rotterdam Zeeland West-Brabant Province of Zeeland, western part of the province of Noord-Brabant Oost-Brabant Eastern part of the province of Noord-Brabant Limburg Province of Limburg

Jurisdiction Employees of regional units that hold law enforcement authority have jurisdiction across the entire country.

Tasks at regional level At the administrative level of the regional unit, some of the following tasks are executed;

Public affairs Internal Affairs Forensics investigation Criminal investigations that are too large or complicated for districts, like organized crime, homicides or district crossing investigations Prisoner transport and court police Police dispatch Traffic police Riot control Police dog handlers

Districts Each regional unit is divided in districts. There are 43 districts across all regional units. A district is led by a Commissioner.

Tasks at a district level Criminal investigations of crimes that are too large of complex for the Basisteams Flexteams that provide temporary support to the Basisteams District intelligence units

Basisteams A Basisteam (basic team) is the smallest organizational unit within the regional unit. A Basisteam is responsible for basic police work within a small geographic area. A basisteam is led by a Chief Inspector and has at least one building that serves as a public police station.

Tasks at the Basisteam level Patrol and incident response Community policing Public order at events and nightlife Criminal investigation for 'common crimes' such as shoplifting, other small thefts, assault and domestic violence

National Unit Expertise & Operations (LX) 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.

Dienst Landelijk Operationeel Centrum (National Operational Center Service) The National Operational Center Service is the center of the management of all current operations and ensures overview and coherence.

Intelligence LX 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.

Dienst Specialistische Operaties (Specialist Operations Service) 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.

Dienst Infrastructuur (Infrastructure Service) 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.

Dienst Koninklijke en Diplomatieke Beveiliging (Royal and Diplomatic Protection Service) 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.

National Unit Investigation & Interventions (LO)