WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao is falling behind other parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in establishing legislation governing the exchange of police and justice information, according to the Council for Law Enforcement's State of Law Enforcement 2025 report.
The Council warns that, four years after efforts began to create a legal framework for sharing law enforcement data across the Kingdom, there is still no comprehensive legislation in place to ensure that information can be exchanged safely, legally, and effectively.
The issue is particularly relevant for Curaçao because the island has yet to finalize a national ordinance regulating police data. According to the report, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands have already adopted legislation or are significantly further along in implementing the necessary legal framework.
As a result, Curaçao is considered to be lagging behind in an area that is increasingly important for modern law enforcement.
The Council notes that police forces, public prosecutors, and other justice agencies depend on the exchange of personal data and criminal intelligence to investigate crimes, identify suspects, and combat cross-border criminal activities.
Without clear legislation, authorities face uncertainty regarding what information can be shared, under what circumstances, and how privacy protections should be applied.
The report states that Curaçao is still working on draft legislation concerning police data, but progress has been slower than in other parts of the Kingdom.
The findings are likely to increase pressure on policymakers to accelerate the legislative process as criminal networks continue to operate across national borders and jurisdictions within the Kingdom.