Police absenteeism rate twice the national average

Photo: Depositphotos.com
Photo: Depositphotos.com

Some 7% of the Dutch police force are off sick every day and the national works council is now calling for an independent investigation into the high absenteeism rate.

This means 4,600 police officers out of a total force of 65,000 are off duty on a daily basis because they are ill.

According to the AD, the pressure of work and the reorganisation of district police forces into a single body are behind the health issues. But the works council says it is too soon to say. Officials are meeting police chiefs on Wednesday night to discuss the situation.

In 2014, the police absentee rate was 6.1% and in 2013, 5.7%. The average across the working population is 3.8%.

Some steps have already been taken to reduce the pressure on police officers but the reorganisation still has many loose ends, the AD said.

For example, some have been reassigned to a new district 100 kilometres away from their homes, while others have been given completely new duties. In total, 6,500 police officers have made a formal protest about their new job.

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