People with diverse backgrounds more often stopped by police

Netherlands residents with diverse backgrounds more often report being stopped and checked by the police. They are less likely to feel that the police treated them with respect and more often don’t know why the police stopped them, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported in its Safety Monitor.

Last year, eight percent of people with Dutch-only roots said the police stopped and checked them in the past year. That was true for nine percent of people born outside the Netherlands and 11 percent of people whose parent or parents were born outside the Netherlands. The police most often stopped second-generation immigrants from Morocco, Turkey, and Suriname.

The police generally stop and check young men, 15 to 25 years old, most frequently. That happened most often among second-generation Dutch-Moroccan young men (32 percent). Of the young men of Dutch-only origin, 21 percent said the police had checked them.

Most stopped people said the police told them why (86 percent), and the reason was clear (89 percent). That was lower among people with diverse backgrounds - 78 percent said the police told them the reason for the check, and 84 percent thought the reason was clear.

Eighty percent of people checked by the police said the officers treated them calmly, respectfully, and fairly. That was lowest among second-generation Dutch-Turks (62 percent) and also low among Dutch-Morrocans (66 percent) and Dutch-Surinamese (70 percent) whose parents were born outside the Netherlands.

Nine percent of people checked by the police believe their origin, skin color, or appearance was the reason for the check. That is lowest among people of Dutch origin (4 percent) and highest among second-generation Dutch-Moroccans (35 percent).