An incorrect police report: how to respond

Criminal Law in the Netherlands.

You believe a police report is inaccurate. Obtain the relevant text through the proper route and identify the exact passage. A summary from someone else may not show the full context.

Distinguish an incorrect fact, missing context and a disagreement about interpretation. Write down what you say is wrong and what you actually remember, without inventing missing details.

Keep messages, photographs or other lawfully available records that support your concern. Note where they came from and preserve originals. A cropped image may leave out relevant context.

Ask your lawyer whether a correction, further questioning, access to a recording or another investigation request is appropriate. Different problems can require different procedural steps.

An error does not automatically make all evidence unusable or end the prosecution. The significance of the problem and the appropriate legal response need separate assessment.

A complaint about police conduct does not replace a defence argument in the criminal case. Keep copies of both and check with your lawyer what must be raised before the court.

Read the full explanation on the Criminal Law in the Netherlands website.