Searching for a Future: Reappraising the Functioning of the Police

• NCJ Number: 198142
• Author(s): Maurice Punch; Kees van der Vijver; Nic van Dijk
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 112 pages
• Corporate Author: Dutch Foundation for Society, Safety and Police
• Sale Source: Dutch Foundation for Society, Safety and Police
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands

Annotation

This study focused on the dilemmas facing the Dutch police in postmodern society and analyzed the current state of Dutch policing, followed by suggestions for future developments.

Abstract

The first part of this book presents a 1995 report by the Dutch Foundation for Society, Safety, and Police based on research conducted in 1994-95 on the functioning and future of the Dutch police. Since this study was conducted, there have been new developments. The large-scale reorganization of the Dutch police has been completed and police forces are in the process of implementing many new initiatives. The second part of this book is designed to help non-Dutch readers place the themes of the report in perspective and indicate the relevance of recent developments for the debate on policing in the future. In 1994 the Dutch police began a major reorganization, as the 148 city police forces were amalgamated with the State Police, which operated in the smaller towns and rural areas; 25 new regional forces were created as well as one National Police Agency. This radical organizational change involved the creation of new force boundaries, mergers of units, the closing of some stations, and the shifting of personnel. During this time of restructuring, the police establishment was rocked by a major scandal related to police methods of investigating organized crime. This led to open conflict among senior officers, a parliamentary commission of inquiry, the resignation of two ministers, criminal trials of detectives, and sustained press scrutiny of the police. Currently (1998), the attitude of many police officials and line officers is that turbulent events have passed, and the police are entering a period of new initiatives and possibilities. The attention of police forces seems to be on the development of a multi-agency approach to countering crime in problem neighborhoods, cooperation with the community in developing crime-prevention strategies and implementation, and police involvement in social renewal that can reduce criminogenic conditions. Appended description of Dutch police reorganization and 13 references