Police stations closed today as cops protest for a decent early retirement scheme

Police stations across the Netherlands will be closed today. The police officers and trade unions are protesting for a decent early retirement scheme for cops. The police are still available for emergencies.

Netherlands residents who want to visit a police station today will find closed doors with a pamphlet explaining the action. “Citizens will have to come back later,” the police unions said. “Appointments scheduled for Tuesday, June 11, will be moved to another time.”

“There is still no prospect of a good early retirement scheme for the police,” the police unions said when announcing the closure last week. Previous labor actions, including no longer issuing fines for some offenses, had not “brought any movements in the negotiations.”

In May, the police stopped writing tickets for minor offenses, including cycling without lights and public urination. Violators who were let off with a warning were also given a pamphlet explaining the reason for the police protest. In the first week alone, officers wrote 6,000 fewer tickets than a year ago.

“Apparently, it takes a lot to convince employers and politicians that police work is hard work and that a decent early retirement scheme is, therefore, simply a sign of respect and appreciation,” the police union ANPV said last month.

Should Tuesday’s closure not lead to a decent early retirement scheme, the police unions will repeat the action the following week for another 24 hours. “Adding other actions will also be considered.”

Since 2021, police employees have had the option to retire up to three years before the state pension age, with a benefit to bridge the gap. The current Early Retirement Scheme (RVU) expires at the end of this year.