Page 34 - Aanbevelingen om de integriteit

169. The GET notes that the NPN and the KMar are both fully aware of the importance of
furthering a clear policy on police officers’ integrity and it would appear that integrity related matters
are already dealt with before recruitment in the form of information to the applicants (“Consciously
blue”), as well as in the initial and in-service training. There are also networks in place both in NPN
and KMar, providing for counselling, including on a confidential basis, in respect of ethical and
integrity dilemmas. All this is commendable.

170. The GET also noted that apart from the initial training, the curriculum of which contains
obligatory integrity modules integrated in the training, it appears that the in-service training process
for police officers (NPN as well as KMar) is less clearly structured. There is no formal plan or
programme at the national level and the training sessions are largely demand driven and of an ad hoc
nature. The management of the various units are in the first place responsible for implementing the
integrity measures in their units and are also responsible for carrying out the training of the staff in
their respective units. This decentralised approach, in particular, the focus on practical situations and
interaction based on real situations is to be welcomed. At the same time the GET understood that
the managerial oversight in respect of supervision and training and learning from experience needed
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to be improved. Moreover, it heard from several interlocutors that this type of training requires
more trainers in the units to be effective. The GET takes the view that the current in-service training
(including at managerial level) would benefit from more structure and coordination at national level
as a necessary complement to the decentralised training in the units. Such an additional approach
would also provide more uniform training in the various units, based on nationwide experience.

171. In view of the above, GRECO recommends that the in-service training on ethics and
integrity for the National Police (NPN) and the Royal Marechaussee (KMar) staff, including
managers, be enhanced by developing at national level further regular training programmes as a
support and complement to the existing decentralised training in the units.

Recruitment and career

Recruitment and promotion

172. The selection and appointment procedures follow established procedures in both the NPN
and KMar but under different regulations; the NPN recruitment is part of an NPN specific procedure
and recruitment to the KMar is part of a Defence (military) procedure. The legal frameworks include
Police Appointment Requirements Regulation 2012 (Articles 4-7), Police Remuneration Decree
(Article 2), General Military Personnel Regulations (AMAR), AMAR Implementing Regulation, Job
Allocation and Promotion Guideline, Defence Civilian Employees Regulations (BARD) and Policy Rule
on appointments, job assignments and the promotion of Defence (BAFBD). The guidelines for
implementing job allocation and promotion processes are described in the Defence Job Allocation
and Promotion Guideline (RF&B). These legal documents are accessible online.

173. Appointments to the NPN are made in accordance with established recruitment procedures,
depending on the type of employment, but as a rule, guided by principles of transparency, equal
opportunities and non-discrimination to find the most suitable candidates. Around two thirds of NPN
staff are employed in operational positions (investigative police work) and one third in administrative
positions. Staff is also divided into operational basic positions, management positions and support
staff. The GET is pleased that as many as 94,6% of all staff are on permanent positions. This provides
an important safeguard against undue pressure in relation to staff. Those who are not permanent
staff are on probation or have a temporary fixed term contract.

47 Organized Crime and Integrity Violations within Law Enforcement Organizations, the Research and Documentation Centre
(WODC), Ministry of Justice and Security, 2017, see https://www.wodc.nl/onderzoeksdatabase/2748-georganiseerde-
criminaliteit-versus-integriteit-handhavers.aspx

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