An official police report (proces-verbaal) is the written record an investigating officer makes of a criminal offence or of what they did and found during an investigation. Under Article 152 of the Dutch Code of Criminal Procedure it must be drawn up promptly, and it is made under the officer’s oath of office (Article 153).
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What types of report exist?
There are reports of a crime report filed by a victim, reports of an arrest or search, and interview reports (proces-verbaal van verhoor) recording what a suspect or witness said. A suspect’s statement must be recorded in their own words as far as possible (Article 29a).
How much weight does it carry?
A great deal. Dutch courts normally may not convict on a single piece of evidence. The report of an investigating officer is the exception: it can be sufficient on its own (Article 344(2)). That is why errors in a report matter.
How can you see the report?
Reports are part of the case file (processtukken). As a suspect you are entitled to inspect them (Article 30), usually through your lawyer. The prosecutor may withhold certain documents during the investigation, but not after the summons has been served (Article 33).
What if the report is wrong?
Read your statement carefully before signing and ask for corrections. You are not obliged to sign. Later, your lawyer can ask the court to hear the officer as a witness or argue that the report is unreliable. Procedural defects can have consequences under Article 359a.
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