What can police chiefs and law enforcement experts learn from the Dutch? Quite a lot it seems.

In 2013, police in the Netherlands went through a major reorganisation with 25 local forces scrapped and replaced by ten regional units and one central body – all under the overall command of a national service led by one Commissioner. The aim was to cut costs, reduce bureaucracy and improve decision-making.

The new force structure was severely tested during the pandemic as coronavirus measures had to be introduced at pace and enforced. Police officers in the Netherlands found themselves in the firing line in ways they never expected, facing anger and hostility on the streets.

In the latest of a series of interviews recorded at the World Police Summit in Dubai, Policing TV’s Chief Presenter, Danny Shaw, spoke to Deputy Commissioner Hanneke Ekelmans, from the Netherlands Police Force Command Team, about the importance of good leadership during difficult times.