THE HAGUE – The Dutch government has warned that serious imbalances in the capacity of law enforcement and judicial institutions throughout the Caribbean part of the Kingdom could undermine efforts to investigate, prosecute, and punish criminal activity.
The warning appears in an October 13, 2026, report submitted to the Dutch House of Representatives by Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel following the Judicial Four-Party Consultation (JVO), held in Curaçao on September 3 under the chairmanship of Curaçao's Minister of Justice, Shalten Hato.
According to the report, differences in staffing and operational capacity between institutions involved in the criminal justice system represent a risk to effective law enforcement.
The problem is not limited to police investigations. It extends across the justice system, including prosecution services, courts, and correctional institutions.
The Dutch minister explained that stronger investigative capabilities do not automatically translate into effective criminal justice if other institutions lack the capacity to process the resulting cases.
For example, an increase in the number of suspects identified and arrested by law enforcement agencies may create additional pressure on prosecutors, courts, and detention facilities.
The report specifically identifies differences in capacity between joint Kingdom institutions, such as the Detective Cooperation Team (RST) and the Joint Court of Justice, and national institutions, including police forces and prisons.
These imbalances can prevent improvements in one part of the justice system from producing the intended results throughout the entire process.
The four countries of the Kingdom—Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, and the Netherlands—have therefore agreed to conduct a systematic assessment of capacity across the relevant institutions.
Under the agreement, each country will provide information about the capacity of its national justice services, while the Netherlands will compile information concerning the joint institutions.
The objective is to establish a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of where the most serious shortages and operational bottlenecks exist.
This information should allow the ministers to identify priorities and develop more targeted measures to strengthen the justice system.
The report emphasizes that law enforcement remains primarily the responsibility of each autonomous country. However, because criminal investigations and judicial cooperation frequently involve multiple countries within the Kingdom, coordination is considered essential.
Police forces, the RST, and public prosecution services already cooperate closely on investigations and enforcement activities.
Nevertheless, the Dutch government acknowledges that cooperation alone cannot resolve structural differences in institutional capacity.
The ministers have agreed to keep the issue on the agenda of the next Judicial Four-Party Consultation.
The report does not provide specific figures concerning staffing shortages in Curaçao's police force, prosecution service, or prison system. Those details are expected to emerge from the planned assessment.
The next consultation is scheduled for June 2027 in the Caribbean Netherlands.
The findings could have significant implications for Curaçao, where the effectiveness of criminal investigations depends not only on police resources but also on the ability of prosecutors, courts, and correctional institutions to handle cases efficiently.
The report makes clear that strengthening one institution without addressing weaknesses elsewhere in the justice system may leave the overall effectiveness of law enforcement limited.