Police prepare for major security operation in the run-up to the NATO 2025 summit

The NATO summit in the summer of 2025 is already keeping the police busy. A year before the important political meeting, the Dutch police are preparing for one of the largest security operations in the Netherlands. The police deployment around the NATO summit from June 24 to 26 next year is expected to temporarily reduce police capacity in other areas. To mitigate the impact, the police are asking for an "incident-free period" around the summit. To ensure that enough personnel are available during the summit, there will also be a vacation restriction for police officers. Furthermore, there are plans to maximize the strength of the mobile unit.

As the police, we are not solely responsible for the success of this summit," national commander Willem Woelders emphasizes, who is responsible for preparing the NATO summit. We work closely with the Ministry of Defense and the Royal Military Police. There is also a lot of preparatory work to be done by the ministries, municipalities, and other organizations involved. But because police work is so visible to all Dutch people, we think it is important to give an insight into the impact of this summit on our organization, Woelders stated.

During the summit, dozens of heads of state, heads of government, ministers, and their delegations will be escorted and secured on their way to and from the airports and hotels. The summit venue is also heavily secured. For Woelders, such special police operations are part of the job. Nevertheless, the commander admits that it is a unique operation. "In terms of content, size, and the deployment of personnel and resources, it is the largest security operation ever in the Netherlands. Everyone will notice it."

However, little is being left to chance in the preparations, explains Woelders: "We are mapping possible threats and are currently working out scenarios. But some of it is also about very practical things. Police cars and motorcycles have to be serviced earlier. Updates to IT systems are being brought forward. Additional training courses are being planned. And I could go on and on."

A lot is already being demanded of the police, regardless of the preparations for the summit, says the commander. This includes the numerous police deployments at football matches and demonstrations. Therefore, he believes it is important for local authorities and event organizations to start thinking about the impact of next year's NATO summit.