Thirteen new top police positions created to make force more diverse

National Police Chief Erik Akerboom wants the police force to be more diverse. For that reason 13 extra positions will be created in the police leadership this year for "diverse" talent, he said in an interview with the Volkskrant.

"The police must be recognizable to everyone. The outside world changed enormously, and the police is not changing with it", Akerboom said. He wants the culture in the police to change quickly.

The top of all 11 police units, the corps leadership and the Police Service Center will each get an extra position this year. The thirteen new positions will be filled by police officers who have more trouble rising to the top through traditional application procedures. This includes cops with an immigration background, LGBT cops and female officers, among others.

Hundreds of leading figures in the police will also be trained to start "uncomfortable discussions". This is intended to help make speaking about topics like diversity, violence, ethnic profiling and integrity easier.

On Thursday Amsterdam police chief Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg announced that he wants half of the vacancies at the Amsterdam police to be filled by people with an immigration background.