Mayor warns NATO summit will strain Dutch police resources

Mayor Sjors Fröhlich of Vijfheerenlanden has voiced strong concerns over the strain the upcoming NATO summit will place on local police resources. Writing in de Volkskrant on Saturday, Fröhlich criticized the decision to host the high-profile event in the Netherlands, citing significant impacts on public safety and municipal operations.

The NATO summit, scheduled for late June, will require the deployment of 27,000 police officers nationwide. National Police Chief Janny Knol has already urged local governments to restrict event permits in the weeks surrounding the summit to mitigate the strain on law enforcement.

Fröhlich stated that his municipality, which covers a large area, will struggle to maintain even basic emergency services during this time. "With great difficulty, the police can barely staff rosters for essential emergency response," Fröhlich wrote. He warned that this could lead to "undesirable situations" regarding response times in his region.

The mayor also expressed frustration over being forced to deny permits for local events. "We have to say no to events our residents were looking forward to," he said.

Fröhlich criticized the lack of consultation with local governments ahead of the decision to host the summit. He added that he was not given an opportunity to discuss the "enormous consequences for police deployment in our basic teams."

The financial cost of the two-day summit—estimated at 95 million euros—also drew the mayor’s ire. Fröhlich highlighted the steep price tag, comparing it to the cost of organizing the national Sinterklaas parade for 200 years. The parade was held last December in Vianen, part of Fröhlich’s municipality.

While critical of the summit’s impact, Fröhlich emphasized his support for the police. "Despite the limitations in staffing, the police do everything they can to be there for you and me," he said.

Fröhlich also underscored the importance of NATO as an organization and acknowledged the potential prestige the summit could bring to the Netherlands and The Hague. However, he questioned whether the decision to host the event was wise. "Prestige has been prioritized over practicality," he concluded.