Home » Business » National Unit is split up, part of the police top has to go | Inland

National Unit is split up, part of the police top has to go | Inland

Within the National Unit, there has been an unsafe work culture for some time. Three employees who were involved in a special undercover department have lost their lives after conflicts in the workplace. There is said to be a culture of bullying and a sickening atmosphere in a number of departments. It was often pointed at managers.

According to Bernt Schneiders, chairman of the inquiry committee, a large part of the problems has to do with the organizational structure. His committee paints a picture of the National Unit as a large, unwieldy organization that pays too little attention to personal circumstances and where “the potential of employees is insufficiently utilized.”

Of the two new units, one will focus on national investigation and one on national operations and expertise.

It is also important that the working atmosphere becomes safer again. The committee therefore advises “to explicitly formulate desirable and undesirable behaviour, to draw up appropriate leadership profiles and to inspect current managers.”

In order to arrive at a new organization and culture, the police have to work hard, says Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz in response to the advice, which she therefore adopts. Today we offer the police employees clarity about the future of the National Unit. An important step towards an organization with more focus and a recognizable profile that can handle today’s security issues.”

Chief of police Henk van Essen speaks of a “next phase” after the last large-scale reorganization, which led to the formation of the National Police. “The changes at the National Unit affect the entire police force,” says Van Essen. “If only because all units will benefit from the proper functioning of the new national units and they will work closely with them.

In order to implement the reform, Van Essen must come up with a transition plan by 1 October this year at the latest. Yeşilgöz has asked the Schneiders commission to oversee the culture shift.

Police union happy with ‘crystal clear advice’ National Unit

Police union NPB is “happy” with the Schneiders committee’s “clear advice” about the police. The National Police Unit will be split into two units, one for national investigation and one for national operations and expertise. “An intervention that we have been advocating for years: the introduction of a separate organization for national investigation – a kind of Dutch FBI,” the union said in a response.

According to the commission of inquiry, a large part of the problems has to do with the organizational structure. Within the National Unit, there has been an unsafe work culture for some time. Three employees who were involved in a special undercover department have lost their lives after conflicts in the workplace. There is said to be a culture of bullying and a sickening atmosphere in a number of departments. It was often pointed at managers. “In the end, tensions in the workplace rose to such an extent that tackling them literally became a matter of vital importance,” said NPB chairman Jan Struijs.

According to Struijs, the “first concern” during the upcoming “drastic reorganization” is that the employer treats the interests of the employees carefully. „Think of the future prospects of the employees directly involved in the police, but also of the extra burden that they and other colleagues have to deal with. After all, the store must remain open during the renovation.”

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