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Netherlands: Women police

01 September 1992

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The Dutch National Police Emancipation Committee (LPEC) has severely criticized the government's plans to have at least 25% female police personnel by 1995 and says the working climate for women with the police is a disaster. At present, less than 13% of the force consists of women, most of them serving in the lower ranks. Of the officers working in the higher echelons only 2% is female. The primary reasons for this are the very women- unfriendly professional culture and virtually non-existent flexible working schedules and child care.

Over the last two years, criminality among young women has seen a very strong increase according to a report by the Justice Department's study centre WODC. Women in Holland now account for twenty percent of registered criminals, with a noticeable increase in violent and white-collar crimes. Journalists reacted to these figures by going out on the street to locate "girl- gangs" that reportedly beat up fellow citizens selected indiscriminately just for fun. Probation officers and others working with them claim that most of them hold very traditional values, combined with macho and violent behaviour.

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