A budget deficit of €46 million means the Dutch police force will not be able to fill all vacancies in the coming year, caretaker home affairs minister Foort van Oosten told MPs in a briefing on Wednesday.

While the police have been able to make up shortfalls in the budget in previous years, this year it will not be possible to find enough extra cash to cover the deficit, Van Oosten said. That means limits on recruitment will be introduced.

Neighbourhood policing teams will not be affected and will continue to grow, and there will be no cuts in the number of new recruits. However, jobs that do become vacant in management and communications teams, for example, may be put on hold.

MPs will debate the police budget next Monday.