Bachelor's Degree in Police Work - Rotterdam

During this practical career development program, you will perform your duties at the intersection of government (municipality), the Public Prosecutor’s Office (investigation), and law enforcement (police). On a daily basis, you will work to combat serious and organized crime. You will conduct investigations into, among other things, subversion, human trafficking, the production of ecstasy, and the global cocaine trade.

Working for the Police

As a police inspector, no two days are the same, whether you’re working to detect and prevent a terrorist attack or tackling high-tech crime. With your talent for analysis and systems thinking, you’ll strip criminal organizations of their power, communication, and capabilities.

On the street, you will act as the officer in charge during imminent, large-scale incidents. You know how to distinguish between the source area and the impact area of the incident, and which other emergency services are needed to keep the threat under control. You quickly assess the situation and make decisions. Should you scale up or not? What guidelines do you set for responding units, and what do you need from the operational center of the security region? Consider, for example, deploying the mobile unit (ME) or the explosives reconnaissance team leader. In the event of very large incidents, you are expected to be able to assess in a timely manner whether the deployment of an SGBO (a large-scale command structure) is necessary for the incident’s impact area.

As an inspector, you will receive further training to become an assistant prosecutor. On behalf of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, you will assess whether the police’s arrest of a suspect on the street was carried out in accordance with the law. If this is not the case, you will be the one to release the suspect and provide feedback on the mistakes that were made to the officers involved. You are also the first to assess whether the use of force by the police was truly necessary.

Here’s just a sample of the tasks you’ll take on if you decide to sign up. Of course, you’ll receive training and be kept up to date, and your experiences and decision-making will be used as input in the process.

The police force is the largest employer in the Netherlands, offering a vast array of professional specializations. That means you never stop learning, and there’s always a different or new specialization opportunity. That’s why most police officers have been with the organization for so long—ask them about their experiences!

Who we're looking for

• You hold a full-fledged, accredited bachelor’s degree from a university of applied sciences or a research university.
• You are familiar with social and safety issues through your studies or work experience.
• At the start of the program, you must be a Dutch citizen (this may also be your second citizenship).
• Within 9 months of starting your program, you will have obtained a Class B driver’s license, allowing you to immediately participate in the coursework and driving skills tests. If you do not yet have a driver’s license, you can take advantage of the financial assistance available for obtaining one.

Skills and qualities

• You have strong social and networking skills, can handle stress well, and are mentally and physically fit.
• You form your own opinions independently while maintaining a broad perspective.
• You look beyond the issues of the day.
• You are curious and eager to learn. You also take a critical look at your own actions.
• You recognize people’s habits and cultural backgrounds. To connect with everyone who needs us, we need police officers in our frontline teams who come from diverse cultural backgrounds, have language skills, and have networks within local communities. This ensures that everyone in our service area feels represented by their police force and feels comfortable approaching the police.

The selection

Before you can begin the bachelor’s program, we assess the required qualities and competencies during the selection process. The selection process consists of:

• Check your application (minimum requirements)
• Online testing (cognitive test)
• Intake interview
• Sports Test and Verification Test on the Online Tests
• Psychological research
• Medical examination
• Screening

Want to learn more? Check out the information on all the selection components.

Another important point is

• You can only be subject to proceedings in one region. Choose carefully.
• Please check the admission requirements again.
• Are you prepared for all parts of the selection process? The physical fitness test will take place shortly after your intake interview, so make sure you’re in good physical shape.
• Still not sure? Read all the information about the job and the training program, and watch the recorded information session.