The police have been preparing for the NATO summit for some time, the largest security operation ever in the Netherlands. The summit will be held on June 24 and 25 in The Hague. In combination with the ongoing regular police work, such as emergency assistance and immediate detection, this requires maximum deployment of the entire police force.
Increasingly Detailed
The police periodically update the mayors on the preparations for the summit and the implications for police capacity. Mayors are responsible for public order and safety in their own municipality, including the deployment of the police. As the NATO summit approaches, it is becoming increasingly clear what tasks are being requested of the police. This way, the capacity demand can be refined further.
The Hague, North Holland, Rotterdam
During the summit, police deployment will be very high, especially for public order and enforcement, as well as safeguarding and securing individuals, delegations, and locations. The focus is on the police units in The Hague, North Holland, and Rotterdam. Event locations, Schiphol airport, and hotels where delegations are staying are located there. Police officers from all over the country will assist, while colleagues not deployed in The Hague will ensure that regular police work in their own units can continue as much as possible.
Police Stations Open, National Readiness
Throughout the NATO summit, regular police services will remain available in the rest of the Netherlands: police stations will be open, and incident handling, operational control of the police, and immediate detection will continue as always. Should a calamity occur elsewhere in the country, unrelated to the NATO summit, national readiness has been organized for this. This police reserve is centrally ready to be deployed throughout the country.
Extra Capacity through Measures, Strict Control, and Cooperation
To be ready for the NATO summit, the police have taken a number of measures in recent months. Leave has been restricted during the period surrounding the summit. Additionally, there has been an assessment of which training sessions must take place during the summit period, allowing police recruits to be deployed as well. Police volunteers are taking on extra shifts. Defense, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, and neighboring countries are also providing assistance.
All these measures cannot prevent the high demand for police services from having noticeable effects. Locally, it may be decided that events cannot take place. By mid-2024, the police have urged municipalities to be cautious with granting permits for events during and around the NATO summit. This way, the police can keep sufficient capacity available to ensure a safe, undisturbed, dignified, and hospitable conduct of the NATO summit, in addition to regular work.