Police budget deficit to rise to €300 million by 2030

The police expect a deficit of tens of millions of euros in 2026, increasing to 300 million euros in 2030, reported caretaker Justice Minister David van Weel (VVD) in a letter to parliament. Municipalities and the Public Prosecution Service (OM) reacted with shock in a letter to the caretaker Minister. They fear cutbacks, resulting in fewer officers on the street or engaged in investigations and prosecutions.

It has been known for some time that the police shortages will increase. A police working group has now mapped this out better. In an initial investigation, it concluded that the deficit would increase to 800 million euros. The police reduced that deficit to the aforementioned 300 million euros “through choices and financial-technical measures that do not affect the performance of the police’s tasks,” wrote the Minister.

The OM and the regional mayors - the consultation of a group of mayors on safety - fear that these interventions will have noticeable consequences. They asked the Minister to find money to at least close the expected financial gap that remains. Otherwise, they fear cutbacks that will cost 2,500 full-time jobs.

The letter writers, Nijmegen mayor Hubert Bruls and OM top boss Rinus Otte, find fewer police officers on the streets “irresponsible and socially inexplicable in this day and age.” They point out problems that are already occurring without cutbacks. Community officers are not getting their work done, the number of investigations is decreasing, more is needed to tackle digital crime, rosters are barely full, and the pressure on new staff is high.

One of the causes of the deficit is that personnel costs are rising. The costs of the police buildings are also showing an upward trend, partly due to stricter rules for sustainability. The police are also spending more and more money on information management and IT.

Van Weel is in talks with police chief Janny Knol about how to close the shortage in 2026. He promised that the “operational strength” would not be affected by cutbacks that year. The Minister is not making any promises further ahead. He does not think it appropriate for a Minister in a collapsed Cabinet to take far-reaching decisions that go years ahead.