Police under fire, unions annoyed

Dutch police union NPB is annoyed with the reactions of politicians after internet films showing police officers using force to arrest suspects were posted on the internet.

Earlier this week, a film showing a female police officer kicking a suspect caused commotion, now another film shows a police officer punching a 20-year-old man resisting arrest in the face. Both incidents were filmed in Rotterdam.

The city's Green Left councillors have called for police instructions with regard to violence to be tightened.

“It is not the first time that politicians have reacted too quickly to an incident. What annoys us is that they did not bother to wait for an investigation or try to find out what happened exactly,” says Jan Willem van de Pol, vice-president of the NPB. He also expressed his concern that such reactions damage the police force.

Another police union ACP is also perplexed by the reactions. “It is as if everyone has only just realised that the police has a mandate to use force on behalf of the government,” says vice president Gerrit van de Kamp. “And now every blow is wrong. Police officers are saying: what do people expect us to do? On one hand we have to act effectively, on the other we are not allowed to use force.”

(nc)