Your privacy rights with the police, special investigation services and judicial authorities

Police: asking for access to your data

Do you want know if your personal data have been recorded by the police? Or by a special investigation service? And if so, what these data are? Then you can ask for access to police data about you.

The Dutch Police Data Act (Wpg) states that you have a right of access to police data about you. Note: In some cases the police or organisation for special investigations is allowed to refuse your request. It is therefore not always possible to have your data rectified or destroyed.

Written request

You ask for access in writing.  You can use the Model letter for request of access police or special investigation services for this purpose. You do not have to state why you want access to your data. 

You must be able to demonstrate that you are actually the person whose data you want to access. Make sure, therefore, that you send a copy of your identity document, such as your passport or ID card, along with your request. You are allowed to black out your photo and personal identification number (in Dutch, the BSN).

Sending your letter

Police

Do you want to ask the police for access? Send your letter to the police unit of the region in which you have your place of residence. You can look up the address in the address list of the police. For example: You live in Eindhoven. You send your letter to the East Brabant unit in that case.

Note: You cannot make your request to the police by email.

Special investigation services

Do you want to ask a special investigation service for access? Go to the privacy statement on the website of this organisation to find the (email) address where you can send your letter to.

Reply period

The police or special investigations service has to reply to your request within 6 weeks.

Police: asking for rectification or destruction of your data

Are the police data that the police or special investigation service have recorded about you incorrect, incomplete or being processed unlawfully? Then you can ask for rectification (adjustment or addition) or destruction of your data. 

The Dutch Police Data Act (Wpg) states that you have a right of rectification or destruction of police data about you. Note: In some cases the police or special investigation service is allowed to refuse your request. Therefore it is not always possible to have your data rectified or destroyed.

Written request

You make your request in writing. You can use the Model letter for rectification or destruction police or special investigation services for this purpose. Send a copy of your identity document, such as your passport or ID card, along with your request. You are allowed to black out your photo and personal identification number (in Dutch, the BSN).

Sending your letter

You send your letter to the same (email) address as you use for making a request for access.

Reply period

The police or special investigation service has to send a written reply to your request within 4 weeks.

Police: your request has been refused

Did you make a request for access to, rectification of or destruction of your data? Sometimes, the police or special investigation service is allowed to refuse your request. For example, for protecting other people, such as witnesses or informers. Or if granting your request would have adverse consequences for the investigation or prosecution of criminal offences.

Do you disagree with the refusal of your request? Then you can ask the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Dutch DPA) to mediate or advise. You can use the Model letter for mediation by the Dutch DPA for this purpose.

Police: you have a question or complaint

Do you have a question or complaint about the use of your personal data by the police or a special investigations service? Read here what you can do.

Question or complaint regarding the police

You can send a letter to the privacy desk of the police unit in your region (the region which you have your place of residence). You can look up the address in the address list of the police.  

Send a copy of your identity document along with your letter, to enable the police to verify your identity. You are allowed to black out your photo and personal identification number (in Dutch, the BSN).

Are you unable to work it out with the privacy desk? Then contact the Data Protection Officer (DPO) of the police. You can call 0900-8844 or send an email to functionaris-gegevensbescherming@remove-this-text.politie.nl.

Are you unable to arrive at a solution with the DPO as well? Then you can lodge a complaint with the Dutch DPA.

Question or complaint regarding special investigation services

Do you have a question or complaint about the use of your personal data by a special investigation service? Then contact the Data Protection Officer (DPO) or privacy officer of this organisation. You can find the contact details of this person in the privacy statement on the organisation's website.

Are you unable to work it out with the DPO or the privacy officer? Then you can lodge a complaint with the Dutch DPA.

Judicial authorities: asking for access to your data

Do you want know if personal data of you have been recorded by a judicial organisation, such as the Public Prosecution Service? And if so, what these data are? Then you can ask for access to your personal data.

The Dutch Judicial Data and Criminal Records Act (Wjsg) states that you have a right of access to judicial or criminal data about you. Please note: In some cases the  judicial organisation is allowed to refuse your request. It is therefore not always possible to have your data rectified or destroyed.

Written request

You ask for access in writing.  You can use the Model letter for request of access judicial authorities for this purpose. You do not have to state why you want access to your data. 

You must be able to demonstrate that you are actually the person whose data you want to access. Make sure, therefore, that you send a copy of your identity document, such as your passport or ID card, along with your request. You are allowed to black out your photo and personal identification number (in Dutch, the BSN).

Sending your letter

Go to the privacy statement on the website of the judicial organisation to find the (email) address where you can send your letter to.

Reply period

The judicial organisation has to reply to your request within 6 weeks.

Judicial authorities: asking for rectification or destruction of your data

Are the personal data that the judicial organisation has recorded about you incorrect, incomplete or being processed unlaafully? Then you can ask for rectification (adjustment or addition) or destruction of your data.  

The Dutch Judicial Data and Criminal Records Act (Wjsg) states that you have a right of rectification or destruction of judicial or criminal data about you. Please note: in some cases the judicial organisation is allowed to refuse your request. It is therefore not always possible to have your data rectified or destroyed.

Written request

You make your request in writing. You can use the Model letter for rectification or destruction judicial authorities for this purpose. Send a copy of your identity document, such as your passport or ID card, along with your request. You are allowed to black out your photo and personal identification number (in Dutch, the BSN).

Sending your letter

You send your letter to the same (email) address as you use for making a request for access.

Reply period

The judicial organisation has to send a written reply to your request within 4 weeks.

Judicial authorities: your request has been refused

Did you make a request for access to, rectification of or destruction of your data? Sometimes, the judicial organisation is allowed to refuse your request. For example, for protecting other people, such as witnesses or informers. Or if granting your request would have adverse consequences for the investigation or prosecution of criminal offences.

Do you disagree with the refusal of your request? Then you can ask the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Dutch DPA) to mediate or advise. You can use the Model letter for mediation by the Dutch DPA for this purpose.

Judicial authorities: you have a question or complaint

Do you have a question or complaint about the use of your personal data by a judicial organisation? Then contact the Data Protection Officer (DPO) or privacy officer of this organisation. You can find the contact details of this person in the privacy statement on the organisation's website.

Are you unable to work it out with the DPO or the privacy officer? Then you can lodge a complaint with the Dutch DPA.  How you do this depends on which organisation it concerns: a court, an administrative board or another judicial organisation.

Court

Do you have a complaint about the use of your personal data in a court case? Then you can lodge a complaint with the procurator general (PG) of the Dutch Supreme Court. Read more: Supervision by the Dutch Supreme Court on personal data processing by courts and public prosecutor's office(in Dutch)

Administrative board

Do you have a complaint about the use of your personal data by an administrative board? These are the Administrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State, the Central Appeals Tribunal, and the Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal.

The administrative boards have their own complaint procedures.

• Lodging a complaint about the Administrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State(in Dutch)
• Lodging a complaint about the Central Appeals Tribunal(in Dutch)
• Lodging a complaint about the Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal (in Dutch; scroll to 'Ik heb een klacht' on this page). 

Other organisation

Do you have a complaint about the use of your personal data by another judicial organisation? Then you can lodge a complaint with the Dutch DPA.