The number of people doing voluntary police work should more than double to 5,000 within the next four years, justice minister Ivo Opstelten said on Monday evening.

At the moment, some 2,300 people do voluntary work with the police. This can range from administrative work to regulating traffic and crime prevention.
Opstelten was speaking at the opening of the academic year at the police academy in Apeldoorn.
Opposition MPs have criticised the plan to take on more volunteers, referring to the government’s coalition commitment to boost the size of the police force by 3,000. The Netherlands currently has 49,500 police officers.
Socialist MP Ronald van Raak told the Volkskrant it is irresponsible to fill the gaps in regular policing levels with volunteers. ‘It is dangerous for the volunteers themselves and gives the public a false sense of security,’ he said.