Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
afzetlint-gebruikt-bij-een-afzetting-van-een-pd
Dutch police at a crime scene (Stock Photo: Politie) - Credit: Dutch police at a crime scene (Stock Photo: Politie)
Crime
police
workload
stress
Coronavirus
NPB
Jan Struijs
Thursday, August 20, 2020 - 12:30
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Police officers buckling under workload, union warns

Police officers in the Netherlands are struggling under stress and their massive workload, especially after recent riots in Utrecht and The Hague, Jan Struijs of police union NPB said in an interview with the Telegraaf. 

The recent riots forced officers to work overtime, sometimes working 14 or 15 hour shifts. In Utrecht and The Hague, officers were pelted with stones and fireworks. "The exact damage of this, especially on a personal level, will only become clear in a few weeks," Struijs said. "The dropout risk is increasing enormously."

The absenteeism rate among police officers is currently 6 percent, compared to the normal average of around 4 percent, he said. Struijs blamed structural under staffing as the root cause of these problems, adding that he is "extremely concerned" about the welfare of the officers.

"They were already worked to the bone before the coronavirus crisis, given a structural staff shortage and very active organized crime." The ongoing health and economic crisis has only made the situation worse, Struijs said.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • 7 million people could lose drinking water as climate change hits Maas river: Report
  • Physicians think next Covid wave will catch Cabinet off-guard; Too little urgency
  • Addiction institute warns against life-threatening MDMA liquid
  • Mayors to arrange extra asylum shelter as long as Cabinet keeps its promises
  • Travel industry workers could fill staffing gaps at Schiphol this summer
  • Convicted crime boss Willem Holleeder sent to prison for life on appeal

Top stories

  • Consumer spending pushed Dutch economic growth in first quarter
  • Hope of EU membership big support for Ukraine, Dutch PM says
  • Transavia summer flight cancellations breaking EU rules: Consumers Assoc.
  • KLM: Most passengers with summer bookings will not face Schiphol cancellations
  • Waiting lists pushing trans teens to buy transition medicines online
  • Covid vaccines not linked to excess mortality, says Dutch stats office

© 2012-2022, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content