NCJ Number
61099
Journal
Tijdschrift voor de politie Volume: 40 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 131-133,135-139,141-145
Date Published
1978
Length
13 pages
Annotation
REASONS FOR AND FORMS OF CONTROL OVER THE DUTCH POLICE ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE ISSUE OF POLICE CONTROL HAS BECOME IMPORTANT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. THE POLICE HAVE ENJOYED A TRADITIONAL MONOPOLY ON INFORMATION COLLECTION. FURTHERMORE, SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR, THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED TENDENCY TOWARD POLICE EXPANSION THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN WORLD. MOST SIGNIFICANT, THE DUTCH POLICE HAVE UNDERGONE A PROCESS OF PROFESSIONALIZATION. THE RESULT HAS BEEN INCREASING EMPHASIS ON TECHNOLOGY AND EFFICIENCY, DEVELOPMENT OF A CLOSED POLICE SUBCULTURE, AND A TENDENCY FOR INTERNAL POLICE CONTROL TO REPLACE EXTERNAL CONTROLS. WHEN SO MUCH POWER IS CONCENTRATED IN A SELF-SUFFICIENT POLICE ORGANIZATION, CONTROL MEASURES INSTITUTED THROUGH LEGISLATION ARE UNLIKELY TO HAVE ANY APPRECIABLE EFFECT. CONTROL OVER THE POLICE CAN COME FROM THE BUREAUCRACY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE PUBLIC AND THE PRESS, INTENTIONAL INTERNAL POLICE SOURCES SUCH AS MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES, AND UNINTENDED INTERNAL POLICE FACTORS SUCH AS PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POLICE ARE KEEPING THE ORDER, COMBATTING CRIME, AND ASSISTING THE PUBLIC, WITH EMPHASIS ON PROTECTION RATHER THAN ON INTIMIDATION AND ON THE RULE OF LAW RATHER THAN ON THE RULE BY LAW. TO ALTER CERTAIN BASIC PROBLEMS OF POLICE CONTROL, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES BE MADE. PARALLEL POLICE DEPARTMENTS MUST BE ELIMINATED. POLICE MUST BE DECENTRALIZED, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON LOCAL WORK. EACH OFFICER SHOULD BE TRAINED TO HANDLE GENERAL SOCIAL PROBLEMS RATHER THAN SPECIALIZING IN ONE NARROW AREA. CENTRALIZATION SHOULD ONLY BE REGARDED AS A MEANS TO COORDINATION AND ASSISTANCE. POLICE CONTROL BY THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, BY MAYORS OR OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, BY COMBINED AGENCIES, OR BY PARLIAMENT MAY ALL PRODUCE NEGATIVE EFFECTS. THE MODEL PROPOSED RETAINS PARLIAMENTARY CONTROL, BUT PLACES DIRECT CONTROL IN THE HANDS OF A COMMISSION FOR POLICE MATTERS. A STATE SECRETARY FOR POLICE AFFAIRS, A NATIONAL POLICE ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND REGIONAL POLICE ADVISORY COUNCILS SHOULD BE APPOINTED. THE COUNCILS SHOULD CONSIST OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS, AND THE CITIZENRY. THE COUNCILS MUST HAVE DECISIONMAKING POWERS AND THEIR OWN STAFFS. THE LOCAL AND THE NATIONAL COUNCILS MUST HAVE CLEARLY DEFINED, SEPARATE RESPONSIBILITIES. IN EFFECT, THE CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD DEPROFESSIONALIZE THE POLICE TO A DEGREE, INCREASING CONTACT BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE PUBLIC AND ASSURING THAT POLICE POWERS ARE NOT CONCENTRATED IN THE HANDS OF ONE OR TWO GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES. NOTES ARE SUPPLIED.