Police, local government, and citizens as participants in local security networks

In the Netherlands, just as in many other Western European countries, there has recently been a growth in the number of local security networks. The police, local governments, and citizens are the main participants of these networks. This study shows that the intended participation of the police, local government, and citizens in the security networks is realised only to a limited extent. The main problems faced by these networks have to do with the emphasis on the ‘core business’ of the police, the coordination by local governments, and the high and complex expectations about citizen participation.