Lack of detectives 'stalls investigations'

Tuesday 08 September 2009

There are not enough police detectives in the Netherlands to investigate all the serious cases that come their way and thousands are left unsolved because of the manpower shortage, a spokesman for the NPB police union told tv programme Network on Monday.

Cases involving rape and armed robbery are among those which are not properly investigated, Jan-Willem van de Pol told the programme.

Police chiefs and unions are concerned that cuts in spending planned by the home affairs ministry will lead to a further weakening of the police service and cuts in numbers.

Reorganisations

Former detective Rémon Verkerk told the programme the continual reorganisations of police services are demotivating. 'You have the feeling you are building sandcastles,' news agency ANP quoted him as saying.

Utrecht police chief Stoffel Heijsman confirmed Van der Pol's statement. 'The pressure is so great that we cannot reasonably meet demand any more,' he told the show.

On Monday, home affairs minister Guusje ter Horst assured police chiefs that the pending cuts in spending would not lead to cuts in the number of police officers.

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