WILLEMSTAD - House searches carried out on Curaçao are conducted in accordance with the law, but the Curaçao Police Force (KPC) remains structurally dependent on external partners to execute them. This is revealed in the new House Search Inspection Report published by the Council for Law Enforcement (Raad voor de Rechtshandhaving).

The Council concludes that searches are lawfully conducted but emphasizes that the KPC still relies on military and Dutch support teams to carry them out effectively.

According to the report, house searches are conducted under the supervision of an examining judge (rechter-commissaris) and in the presence of a public prosecutor. Legal procedures are followed, and residents are informed of their right to legal counsel. Within 48 hours after the search, residents receive a written report and a list of seized items.

Lack of Capacity

However, the Council found that the KPC lacks sufficient technical and specialized capacity of its own.

“In practice, investigative agencies seek assistance from partners such as Customs, the RST (Special Investigation Team), the Coast Guard, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, and the Royal Navy,” the report states.

It adds that the Royal Navy’s Advanced or Intermediate Search Team is often deployed during major investigations, particularly in drug-related cases. The KPC’s own Digital Team and specialists from the RST or Marechaussee are also called upon to secure digital evidence.

According to the Council, this external assistance remains essential because the KPC does not yet have the necessary resources or expertise to perform these operations independently. “The members of the Search Team are not permanently stationed on Curaçao,” the report notes. “Their deployment during a search is coordinated by one of the KPC unit heads.”

Recommendation 

In its conclusion, the Council acknowledges that Curaçao’s investigative bodies comply with legal requirements but offers one crucial recommendation:

“To function as a fully-fledged and professional police force,” the Council writes, “local officers must be given the opportunity to follow training courses that allow them to acquire and maintain their search skills.”

This sole recommendation underlines that while the legality of house searches on Curaçao is assured, their execution still depends too heavily on foreign assistance. Without structural investment in training and equipment, the Council warns, the KPC will remain unable to carry out this core policing function independently and sustainably.