~Law enforcement in the Caribbean Netherlands is under structural pressure: structural strengthening is necessary~
PHILIPSBURG:--- In its new State of Law Enforcement in the Caribbean Netherlands 2025, the Council for Law Enforcement warns that law enforcement on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba remains structurally vulnerable and, without substantial reinforcement, is not future-proof.
According to the Council, capacity, border control, information exchange, detention, forensic care, and the approach to juvenile crime remain under continued pressure. At the same time, security risks in the Caribbean region are increasing due to subversive crime, geopolitical tensions, and growing social pressure on the islands.
The Council notes that the Ministry of Justice and Security is taking important steps and endorses the Council’s earlier analysis, but on crucial points, too few concrete measures are yet visible. As a result, the risk remains that structural problems will be resolved only partially or too slowly.
There are particular concerns about the situation on Saba and Sint Eustatius. According to the Council, the criminal justice and security chain operates with structural limitations and gaps. Capacity problems, the lack of local facilities, and dependence on Bonaire lead to unequal access to justice for residents of these islands.
The Council also explicitly draws attention to the ongoing lack of central coordination for intelligence-led operations within the maritime hub, the growing problem of juvenile crime, the inadequate digital infrastructure in the justice chain, and the risks associated with data exchange within the Kingdom.
Finally, the Council emphasizes that protecting the rule of law in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom is no longer merely a local issue, but a strategic security issue for the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The Council therefore urgently calls on the ministers to sustainably strengthen justice organizations financially, organizationally, and in terms of capacity, and to quickly translate policy intentions into concrete and executable measures with clear timelines.
The State of Law Enforcement in the Caribbean Netherlands 2025 is available on the website of the Council for Law Enforcement: www.raadrh.com.