Verdachten melden zichzelf via nieuw meldformulier politienl
Suspects report themselves via new reporting form
Published on:
March 5, 2026
Place name:
Nationwide
The police's new self-reporting form appears to be catching on. In the first three months since the form's launch, several suspects have turned themselves in, including for involvement in violence and bank helpdesk fraud. In addition, dozens of reports were received, including from people who witnessed a crime or those who wanted to report causing damage.
Working on the computer
“We are pleased that people are able to find this form,” says Daan Annegarn of the police’s National Investigation Communication Team (PDC), which launched the new form . This team is responsible for distributing wanted notices with recognizable images of suspects on a national scale, for example via the television program Opsporing Verzocht, via online marketing, and through public appeals campaigns. In doing so, the team works closely with communication teams and investigative teams in the units, as well as public prosecutors from the Public Prosecution Service’s offices. “We know from experience that many suspects consider turning themselves in to the police. We therefore consider it very important to clearly explain how suspects can do so. That is why we have not only placed a form on politie.nl but also produced a podcast that clearly explains how it works when you turn yourself in to the police, and why it can sometimes work to your advantage if you do not wait for the police to track you down.”
One such advantage, for example, is that a suspect does not have to wait nervously until he or she is arrested, for instance at home or at work. In doing so, a suspect can spare themselves, their colleagues, and their family an unpleasant experience. This concern is legitimate, as an arrest follows approximately half of all public notices for wanted persons. Another reason to go to the police in person is to demonstrate good faith.
Since December 2, the form has been filled out and submitted approximately forty times. In at least three cases, additional investigation has since established that it does indeed appear to involve a suspect who turned themselves in. For several other self-reporters, further investigation is required to gain clarity. People have not only reported themselves for crimes. People who, for example, caused damage to someone else's car while parking and did not leave a note, also managed to find the form multiple times to report themselves. In addition, the form has been filled out multiple times by people who witnessed criminal offenses, sometimes even without the police calling on them to report themselves. Incidentally, the self-reporting form was launched simultaneously with the call for the perpetrator of a specific sexual offense in Bilthoven to turn himself in. This man has not yet reported to the police. Therefore, a composite drawing and a 3D model of him were distributed earlier this week .
The police's National Investigation Communication Team is satisfied with the initial results of the self-reporting form. “Previously, we sometimes saw suspects turn themselves in after their face had appeared on programs like *Opsporing Verzocht*,” says Daan Annegarn. “They would call the crime tip line or go directly to a police station. That is perfectly fine, of course, and it is still possible, but we also know of stories of suspects who were genuinely looking for the right route to turn themselves in and said they got stuck. Now, there can never be any misunderstanding about that again.”
Published on:
March 5, 2026
Place name:
Nationwide
The police's new self-reporting form appears to be catching on. In the first three months since the form's launch, several suspects have turned themselves in, including for involvement in violence and bank helpdesk fraud. In addition, dozens of reports were received, including from people who witnessed a crime or those who wanted to report causing damage.
Working on the computer
“We are pleased that people are able to find this form,” says Daan Annegarn of the police’s National Investigation Communication Team (PDC), which launched the new form . This team is responsible for distributing wanted notices with recognizable images of suspects on a national scale, for example via the television program Opsporing Verzocht, via online marketing, and through public appeals campaigns. In doing so, the team works closely with communication teams and investigative teams in the units, as well as public prosecutors from the Public Prosecution Service’s offices. “We know from experience that many suspects consider turning themselves in to the police. We therefore consider it very important to clearly explain how suspects can do so. That is why we have not only placed a form on politie.nl but also produced a podcast that clearly explains how it works when you turn yourself in to the police, and why it can sometimes work to your advantage if you do not wait for the police to track you down.”
One such advantage, for example, is that a suspect does not have to wait nervously until he or she is arrested, for instance at home or at work. In doing so, a suspect can spare themselves, their colleagues, and their family an unpleasant experience. This concern is legitimate, as an arrest follows approximately half of all public notices for wanted persons. Another reason to go to the police in person is to demonstrate good faith.
Since December 2, the form has been filled out and submitted approximately forty times. In at least three cases, additional investigation has since established that it does indeed appear to involve a suspect who turned themselves in. For several other self-reporters, further investigation is required to gain clarity. People have not only reported themselves for crimes. People who, for example, caused damage to someone else's car while parking and did not leave a note, also managed to find the form multiple times to report themselves. In addition, the form has been filled out multiple times by people who witnessed criminal offenses, sometimes even without the police calling on them to report themselves. Incidentally, the self-reporting form was launched simultaneously with the call for the perpetrator of a specific sexual offense in Bilthoven to turn himself in. This man has not yet reported to the police. Therefore, a composite drawing and a 3D model of him were distributed earlier this week .
The police's National Investigation Communication Team is satisfied with the initial results of the self-reporting form. “Previously, we sometimes saw suspects turn themselves in after their face had appeared on programs like *Opsporing Verzocht*,” says Daan Annegarn. “They would call the crime tip line or go directly to a police station. That is perfectly fine, of course, and it is still possible, but we also know of stories of suspects who were genuinely looking for the right route to turn themselves in and said they got stuck. Now, there can never be any misunderstanding about that again.”
