Rotterdam police chief eyed for Amsterdam post

Current Rotterdam police chief Frank Paauw is the top candidate to succeed Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg as police chief in Amsterdam, well informed sources told Het Parool. Aalbersberg is stepping down as Amsterdam police chief to become the National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism and Security.

Paauw has been chief of the Rotterdam Rijnmond police since 2010. Before that he was deputy chief at the Haaglanden department, where he started his career as a detective in 1986.

Rotterdam police officers are concerned about the Paauw's departure. According to Het Parool's sources, he plans to take some of his staff with him. "There is already little confidence that there will be a suitable successor", Leen Spoor, regional director of police union NPB, said to the newspaper. "That says something about his status in the Rotterdam corps."

Spoor worked under Paauw for many years. "He is by far the strongest police chief in the Netherlands", he said. "He seems irreplaceable at the moment. Rotterdam is a difficult city with drug problems, shootings, three professional football clubs and many festivals. But Paauw managed it well."

The corps leaders of the police refused to comment on the matter to Het Parool.