Version 7.6

Februar 2009

Freiwilliger Polizeidienst Berlin

 Niederlande -Netherlands 

DUTCH VOLUNTARY POLICE

Holland, more formally known as The Netherlands, is a kingdom in Europe, and one of the 12 member states of the European Union.  Our people are often referred to as “Dutchmen”. Holland is a relatively flat country, with lots of water and lots of rain.  A large part of Holland is actually below sea level, and would be under water if not for the dikes. The North Sea forms our Northern and Western border. Germany lies directly to the East, and Belgium to the South. The entire country is approximately the same size as the state of Maryland. 

Amsterdam, our capital and largest city, has a population of just over 700,000 people, approximately the same as San Francisco. Rotterdam is slightly smaller. I live in a small town called Ermelo, located about an hour’s drive from Amsterdam.  I tried to find a city in America that is about the same size as Ermelo, but then I heard that in California they sometimes have more people living in 1 house than we have in the whole town! (Sorry.  That is a slight exaggeration. You can blame my cousin in California).  Ermelo actually has about 27.000 people.

There is only one police agency in The Netherlands, but it is subdivided into 25 regional precincts. The 25 regions are further subdivided into local districts, which are in turn organized into basic units or bureaus.  Some units have very specialized duties, while others perform general tasks.  Each region has its own policy regarding volunteer police officers. I am presently working in region 6; Noord- en Oost Gelderland, district Noordwest Veluwe, unit Ermelo. The Ermelo bureau has 25 regular police officers and 5 reserves.

After World War II, there was an urgent need for additional police officers in Holland.  This resulted in the creation of the Voluntary Police in 1948. Voluntary Police are people who work alone, with other volunteers or alongside regular officers on a wide range of police activities, typically for 8 - 10 hours a week.  We have different life stories, represent different generations and cultural backgrounds, and provide a vital link between the community and the Police.  Volunteers have the same powers as regular police officers and wear the same uniform. Our rank can be police trainee, police patrol officer, constable or constable first class.  There are currently nearly 2500 volunteer police officers in Holland.  There are over 40.000 regular officers.

Candidates for the voluntary police must be Dutch citizens.  The minimum age to apply is 18 years. Physical and mental fitness and health standards are the same as for regular officers. Candidates accepted for the voluntary police force undergo training consisting of two evening classes each week for two years. They are taught basic law, powers of arrest, evidence handling, and standard police practices. Police volunteers pledge to support the prevention, detection and reduction of crime and the enforcement of traffic law. They also provide much-needed assistance at public events.

The name “volunteer” is misleading, because it suggests that we are not compensated for our work.  Voluntary Police, or reserves, actually are paid for every hour we are on duty or on training. Compensation is the same in all regions. There is no limit of the amount of hours we can serve, but this cannot be our primary job. The compensation rate is € 5,84 per hour (approximately 6 dollars).  Per shift, there is an amount of € 2,27 free of tax. We receive a bonus of € 136,13 per year. This bonus is for each person that is appointed as volunteer, regardless the amount of hours actually served.

Travel time from home to the local police station is not paid. Travel expenses are not reimbursed either, but a portion of our compensation is declared tax-free to cover this. 

Volunteers generally serve in their home districts, but there are some exceptions. When we are asked to travel to another station using our own vehicle, expenses are covered. Generally, we can use a patrol car for this.

Time spent on training is compensated. Generally, a patrol car is provided for travel to and from training.

Those training consist of classes: Knowledge of law, violence control, authorities in criminal law, bringing a criminal action against a person, penal legislation, self defense, powers of arrest but also the techniques of arrest, fire arms training. The basic police arms consist of a baton, handcuffs and a pistol, the Walther P5 9mm Para. Recently the police is also equipped with pepper spray. Very effective!

To stay authorized every police officer, regular or volunteer must pass a test in the use of fire arms every six months, a test in the techniques of arrest and a test of our knowledge of authority to use violence (or force?) every year.

In our region, volunteers are allowed to drive all patrol cars. No SWAT cars and no motorcycles. In the Netherlands, unlike the Fire Department and the Paramedics, the Police is very ‘reserved’ driving with blues and two’s. All patrol cars need a special permit from the dispatch room. However, if necessary, volunteers are allowed to do so.

The policy of the company is that each volunteer makes minimal 16 hours each month. There is no limit on the maximum hours. But we cannot make it our daily work. In reality most of us (in my district) make more hours.   In some cities  there is an agreement that volunteers makes extra hours and the city pays for that. Personally, I make approximately 35-40 hours a month.

In The Netherlands there is a law that limits the numbers of hours employees are allowed to work each week.  So if a volunteer has a regular job for 40 hours a week, he or she is limited in serving extra hours for the police. For employees in management jobs and some others there are exemptions.

All volunteers have a debit account from which we can afford our uniform, shoes and so on. On paper we have money to spend (you also can call it bonus miles) and when we buy clothes, they debit our account. It is money, but we can not buy anything else with it but uniforms and shoes. Each year we have a new payment on that account. We buy our uniforms through a post order system. We have a catalogue and order the articles. They are sent to us by mail.

Some of our tasks:

Prevention:

• surveillance in the streets

• handle traffic accidents
• locate missing people
• making reports of all kinds of missing, theft, robbery, burglary.
• assist with major accidents
• convoy exceptional transports
• domestic fights
• arrest shoplifters

• guard prisoners
• supervision on events
• traffic
• special surveillance (fi. bars in the weekends)

• drugs
• drunken drivers
• stolen cars
• speeding (laser gun)
• Traffic violations

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