The registration and analysis of police violence in the Netherlands shows serious shortcomings, according to news website nu.nl.

The website requested information and statistics on incidents in which the police have used violence, using freedom of information legislation.

However, there is no uniformity in reporting, different forces use different systems and many cases have not been digitalised, making it impossible to carry out a national survey, nu.nl says.

The former regional force Brabant Noord was unable to supply any information at all digitally, nu.nl says. In addition, the force only investigated what it called ‘the most serious cases’.

Police, the justice ministry and public prosecution service are currently working on a standardised system for dealing with reports in which the police used violence.