Korps landelijke politiediensten
Encyclopedia
The Korps landelijke politiediensten (KLPD; National Police Services Agency) is the national police
force in the Netherlands
, responsible for specialist missions that benefit from a centralized approach. It is independent from the regional police forces; but like them, it is subordinate to the Dutch
Ministry of the Interior and has a staff of approximately 4,500. The KLPD operates both at national and international level from its HQ
in Driebergen
near Utrecht
.
Examples of crimes it tackles are synthetic drugs, people smuggling
, crime originating from South-East Asia and South America
, major Dutch criminal networks, and crime connected with logistical hubs such as Schiphol Airport and the seaports. Other targeted areas include major fraud
, serious white-collar crime
, terrorism
and war crime
s. Owing to its international orientation, the DNR also plays a major role in dealing with requests from other countries for legal assistance. The DNR works closely with the regional police and the supra-regional teams. Its units at non-central level are based at various places in the Netherlands, generally close to the supra-regional teams. Personnel are usually on secondment from the regions.
Various other investigative services work closely with the DNR including the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service and the Economic Investigation Service, both of which come under the Tax and Customs Administration
, and actively cooperate in tracing illegal aliens and imports.
, Europol
and the Schengen Information System
(SIS); at national level, the Sirene office of the SIS; the KLPD’s liaison officers abroad and foreign liaison officers in the Netherlands. Furthermore it supplies criminal intelligence and expertise to the police forces. By maintaining databases containing data on crimes, criminal modes of operation and other information, IPOL helps to provide information on organized crime and serious forms of supra-regional crime. IPOL has several regional intelligence branch offices and criminal intelligence information desks which support the regional forces and core teams. IPOL develops new criminal investigation technologies and supports investigative teams by providing advice and expertise. It manages Edison (the image storage system for firearms and forged documents) developed by the former NRI and specializes in fingerprint identification. Finally, IPOL is responsible for production of the weekly TV crime-watch program ‘Opsporing Verzocht’.
units of the police and marines. It has a unit of specialized marines (Unit Interventie Mariniers), a unit with a mix of police and military personnel (Unit Interventie) and a unit with police marksmen (Unit Expertise & Operationele Ondersteuning). The law enforcement snipers of the Unit Expertise & Operationele Ondersteuning are armed with Heckler & Koch PSG1
ands Mauser SR93 sniper rifles. All of them have received highly specialized training for dealing with special situations such as aircraft hijackings and hostage taking.
is to help improve safety and traffic flows on and around Dutch super-highways (Snelweg). They check for speeding, driving while under the influence of alcohol
, drug
s or medicine
s, and failure to wear seat belt
s. Unobtrusive surveillance systems are used to record offences on video. The Transport and Environmental Control Unit checks that trucks are in good condition and properly loaded, and monitors the transport of hazardous materials. Its Motorcycle Unit escorts VIPs. Finally, the Traffic Police are responsible for combating crime on the snelweg and at rest stops.
, they can send patrols throughout their area of responsibility.
For instance the Noord-West (North-West) unit, which has its headquarters in Amsterdam
, provides police services and patrols throughout the provinces of Noord-Holland and Flevoland
and assists the local police there. It also patrols the railway stations in that region.
The Railway police has its own Riot Police unit that specialises in riots on trains. It can be deployed during football matches with possible riot potential, but can also respond to other train-related riots or disturbances to assist local police.
supervise commercial and pleasure craft, mainly on the arterial waterways and large expanses of open water. In addition, they provide assistance in the event of accidents and investigate collisions, other types of accident and environmental offences. The Water Police also operate along the coast and in coastal waters by providing assistance and emergency services on the North Sea
.
, in the Netherlands known as the Dienst Luchtvaart Politie
(Police Aviation Service), provides assistance from the air, for example by monitoring large-scale events and tracking lost persons. The unit uses helicopters that can be fitted with special equipment such as video and infrared cameras. Another of their responsibilities is to investigate all aircraft accidents.
and Police Dog
Service (Dienst Levende Have Politie, DLHP) supports other units with horse patrols and specially trained dogs. The mounted police maintains public order, conducts surveillance at public events and patrols in parks and recreational areas. The DLHP has approximately half of the 120 police horses in the Netherlands and has three units based in Nunspeet
, Woubrugge and Boxtel
. These mounts and their riders are available for service in all police regions in the Netherlands. The other police horses are assigned to regional police forces in major cities.
The DLHP’s dogs are trained to recognize a single specific scent. They specialize in identifying scents (identifying the scent shared by an object and a person), narcotics, explosives and firearms, detecting human remains, locating drowning people and fire accelerants.
, government ministers, ambassadors and foreign dignitaries is guaranteed by the members of the Royal and Diplomatic Protection Service (DKDB). The Minister of Justice issues the orders for the physical protection of individuals. The DKDB is located in The Hague.
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
force in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, responsible for specialist missions that benefit from a centralized approach. It is independent from the regional police forces; but like them, it is subordinate to the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Ministry of the Interior and has a staff of approximately 4,500. The KLPD operates both at national and international level from its HQ
HQ
HQ may refer to:* HQ, an abbreviation for headquarters* HQ, an abbreviation for high quality* HQ , a 1975 album by Roy Harper* Hagströmer & Qviberg, a Swedish investment bank* Harley Quinn, a DC Comics character and enemy of Batman...
in Driebergen
Driebergen
Driebergen is a former village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. Later it became a part of the single town of Driebergen-Rijsenburg. And presently it's part of Utrechtse Heuvelrug....
near Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
.
National Crime Squad
The National Crime Squad (Dienst Nationale Recherche, DNR) has a staff of approximately 800 employees and a number of units located around the Netherlands. It investigates organized and other serious crime extending across regional or national boundaries. The service pays particular attention to preventive measures based on intelligence gathering, investigation and the provision of advice.Examples of crimes it tackles are synthetic drugs, people smuggling
People smuggling
People smuggling is defined as "the facilitation, transportation, attempted transportation or illegal entry of a person or persons across an international border, in violation of one or more countries laws, either clandestinely or through deception, such as the use of fraudulent documents"...
, crime originating from South-East Asia and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, major Dutch criminal networks, and crime connected with logistical hubs such as Schiphol Airport and the seaports. Other targeted areas include major fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
, serious white-collar crime
White-collar crime
Within the field of criminology, white-collar crime has been defined by Edwin Sutherland as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation" . Sutherland was a proponent of Symbolic Interactionism, and believed that criminal behavior was...
, terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
and war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s. Owing to its international orientation, the DNR also plays a major role in dealing with requests from other countries for legal assistance. The DNR works closely with the regional police and the supra-regional teams. Its units at non-central level are based at various places in the Netherlands, generally close to the supra-regional teams. Personnel are usually on secondment from the regions.
Various other investigative services work closely with the DNR including the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service and the Economic Investigation Service, both of which come under the Tax and Customs Administration
Tax and Customs Administration
The Tax and Customs Administration is the tax collection and customs service of the government of the Netherlands. Part of the Ministry of Finance, it is responsible for supervising the import, export and transit of goods, detecting fiscal, economic and financial fraud, levying and collecting...
, and actively cooperate in tracing illegal aliens and imports.
National Police Intelligence Service
The National Police Intelligence Service (Dienst IPOL) is a new department combining the former International Police Cooperation Service (Dienst Internationale Politiesamenwerking, DINPOL) and the National Criminal Intelligence Service (Dienst Nationale Recherche Informatie, DNRI). It is responsible for cooperation with foreign criminal investigation agencies playing a major role in tackling serious cross-border crime. Dutch and foreign police forces can contact IPOL for information on foreign and Dutch investigations respectively. The service manages the Dutch branches of InterpolInterpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
, Europol
Europol
Europol is the European Union's criminal intelligence agency. It became fully operational on 1 July 1999....
and the Schengen Information System
Schengen Information System
The Schengen Information System , is a governmental database used by European countries to maintain and distribute information on individuals and pieces of property of interest. The intended uses of this system are for national security, border control and law enforcement purposes...
(SIS); at national level, the Sirene office of the SIS; the KLPD’s liaison officers abroad and foreign liaison officers in the Netherlands. Furthermore it supplies criminal intelligence and expertise to the police forces. By maintaining databases containing data on crimes, criminal modes of operation and other information, IPOL helps to provide information on organized crime and serious forms of supra-regional crime. IPOL has several regional intelligence branch offices and criminal intelligence information desks which support the regional forces and core teams. IPOL develops new criminal investigation technologies and supports investigative teams by providing advice and expertise. It manages Edison (the image storage system for firearms and forged documents) developed by the former NRI and specializes in fingerprint identification. Finally, IPOL is responsible for production of the weekly TV crime-watch program ‘Opsporing Verzocht’.
Specialist Investigation Applications Service
The Specialist Investigation Applications Service ensures that the technological and tactical products, services and equipment used to combat organized crime are reliable and professional. For this purpose it devises innovative ways in which ultramodern technology can be used in police investigations.Special Intervention Service
Terrorists are also a threat to Dutch society and so in 2006 a new operational service was established at the KLPD. The Dienst Speciale Interventies (DSI) is the Dutch elite police anti-terrorist force that combines the SWATSWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
units of the police and marines. It has a unit of specialized marines (Unit Interventie Mariniers), a unit with a mix of police and military personnel (Unit Interventie) and a unit with police marksmen (Unit Expertise & Operationele Ondersteuning). The law enforcement snipers of the Unit Expertise & Operationele Ondersteuning are armed with Heckler & Koch PSG1
Heckler & Koch PSG1
The PSG1 is a semi-automatic rifle designed by the German company Heckler & Koch of Oberndorf am Neckar.-Development:...
ands Mauser SR93 sniper rifles. All of them have received highly specialized training for dealing with special situations such as aircraft hijackings and hostage taking.
Highway Patrol
The function of the Highway PatrolHighway patrol
A highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties.Duties of highway patrols or traffic...
is to help improve safety and traffic flows on and around Dutch super-highways (Snelweg). They check for speeding, driving while under the influence of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, drug
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
s or medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
s, and failure to wear seat belt
Seat belt
A seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
s. Unobtrusive surveillance systems are used to record offences on video. The Transport and Environmental Control Unit checks that trucks are in good condition and properly loaded, and monitors the transport of hazardous materials. Its Motorcycle Unit escorts VIPs. Finally, the Traffic Police are responsible for combating crime on the snelweg and at rest stops.
Railway Police
The Railway police patrol on and around the railways, maintain public order on and around the tracks and stations and investigate offences committed at railway stations and in trains. The Railway Police also investigates railway accidents. But in major cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven and Den Haag (The Hague) they can also be called upon to help out the local police. Because the KLPD, which the Railway Police is part of, is a federal police force like the German BundespolizeiBundespolizei
Bundespolizei is German for Federal Police and may refer to:*Federal Police *Federal Police...
, they can send patrols throughout their area of responsibility.
For instance the Noord-West (North-West) unit, which has its headquarters in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, provides police services and patrols throughout the provinces of Noord-Holland and Flevoland
Flevoland
Flevoland is a province of the Netherlands. Located in the centre of the country, at the location of the former Zuiderzee, the province was established on January 1, 1986; the twelfth province of the country, with Lelystad as its capital...
and assists the local police there. It also patrols the railway stations in that region.
The Railway police has its own Riot Police unit that specialises in riots on trains. It can be deployed during football matches with possible riot potential, but can also respond to other train-related riots or disturbances to assist local police.
Water Police
The Water policeWater police
Water police, also called harbour patrols, port police, marine/maritime police, nautical patrols, bay constables or river police, are police officers, usually a department of a larger police organisation, who patrol in water craft...
supervise commercial and pleasure craft, mainly on the arterial waterways and large expanses of open water. In addition, they provide assistance in the event of accidents and investigate collisions, other types of accident and environmental offences. The Water Police also operate along the coast and in coastal waters by providing assistance and emergency services on the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
.
Aviation Police
The Aviation policePolice helicopter
A police aircraft is an airplane, helicopter, powered paraglider, or blimpused in police operations. They are commonly used for traffic control, ground support, search and rescue, high-speed car pursuits, observation, air patrol and riot control...
, in the Netherlands known as the Dienst Luchtvaart Politie
Dienst Luchtvaart Politie
thumb|right|250px|[[MBB Bo 105]] helicopter from the Dienst Luchtvaart Politie on displayThe Dienst Luchtvaartpolitie is the aviation branch of the Dutch Korps landelijke politiediensten . They operate a fleet of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters for various law enforcement purposes and...
(Police Aviation Service), provides assistance from the air, for example by monitoring large-scale events and tracking lost persons. The unit uses helicopters that can be fitted with special equipment such as video and infrared cameras. Another of their responsibilities is to investigate all aircraft accidents.
Mounted Police and Police Dogs Service
The Mounted PoliceMounted police
Mounted police are police who patrol on horseback or camelback. They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque or ceremonial, but they are also employed in crowd control because of their mobile mass and height advantage and...
and Police Dog
Police dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
Service (Dienst Levende Have Politie, DLHP) supports other units with horse patrols and specially trained dogs. The mounted police maintains public order, conducts surveillance at public events and patrols in parks and recreational areas. The DLHP has approximately half of the 120 police horses in the Netherlands and has three units based in Nunspeet
Nunspeet
Nunspeet is a municipality and town in the central Netherlands. It has been an agricultural site since prehistoric times. It contains a number of villages, like Oosteinde, Westeinde, Hulshorst, Elspeet, Vierhouten and Hoophuizen. Nunspeet has a vivid historical foundation, called Nuwenspete...
, Woubrugge and Boxtel
Boxtel
Boxtel is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands.This is the origin of the van Boxtel family, which has numerous descendants in North Brabant....
. These mounts and their riders are available for service in all police regions in the Netherlands. The other police horses are assigned to regional police forces in major cities.
The DLHP’s dogs are trained to recognize a single specific scent. They specialize in identifying scents (identifying the scent shared by an object and a person), narcotics, explosives and firearms, detecting human remains, locating drowning people and fire accelerants.
Operational Support and Coordination Service
The Operational Support and Coordination Service (DOC) assists the KLPD itself, regional police forces and other government services in public order and security matters. It has four main functions: operational support, operational coordination, information coordination and the provision of teleservices. It ensures KLPD units are available around the clock and coordinates the deployment of personnel and equipment for large-scale police operations in the Netherlands and abroad.Royal and Diplomatic Protection Service
The security of the Queen, other members of the Dutch Royal HouseDutch Royal House
In the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Monarchy is a constitutional office and is controlled by the constitution of the Netherlands. A distinction is made between members of the royal family and members of the Royal House. The royal family is the Orange-Nassau family, however not every member is a...
, government ministers, ambassadors and foreign dignitaries is guaranteed by the members of the Royal and Diplomatic Protection Service (DKDB). The Minister of Justice issues the orders for the physical protection of individuals. The DKDB is located in The Hague.