Conceptualización

Firstly, there are documents that describe the increasing importance on how to deal with this problem in a more general way. The NCTV constructed two programs on how to deal with radicalization. The first one is ‘Actieprogamma Integrale Aanpak

Jihadisme’ (2014) and the second one is ‘Handreiking aanpak van radicalisering en

terrorismebestrijding op lokaal niveau’ (2014). These documents point on the increasing role of local institutions on how to deal with and how to prevent radicalization. An example within this Actieprogamma Integrale Aanpak Jihadisme’

(2014)describes this more pro-active approach. One of the points is to strengthen the existing networks of local and key national figures. An element of this point is that:

“Local networks of key figures that are open to discuss sensitive issues within their own community (like alienation, radicalisation and jihadist travel) are expanded further and trained”. There is a role for the local government to expand the local networks and key figures. Therefore, a pro-active approach is needed. More concrete, the advisory report for the police, which is already mentioned for the previous factor, describes a pro-active approach as one of the five main functions of an NP. Instead of being reactive in their approach, the advisory report stresses the necessity of a preventive approach. This approach also includes a pro-active way of working (Politie onderwijsraad, 2017). These documents point on the importance of the problem of radicalization. It is important for institutions and actors on a national and regional level to better deal with the problem of radicalization. As a consequence, NP’s and other professionals should work together with the Islamic community to show this pro-active approach in practice (NCTV, 2014).

For the municipality of The Hague there are also documents that describe the urgency and necessity to deal with the problem of radicalization. In ‘het integraal

veiligheidsplan 2015-2018’ of the municipality of The Hague, this urgency is discussed. This document argues that the problems with regard to the jihad and the problems with radicalization caused an increasing sense of urgency for schools, welfare institutions and the Islamic community itself. This increased sense of urgency caused a shift from a more preventive approach to a more direct approach. This direct approach enhances a combination of assistance from particular actors, the enlargement of resilience and the transfer of knowledge towards professional organizations and the Muslim community (Gemeente Den Haag, 2014). The cooperation with the Islamic community is also an action point on a local level for the

city of The Hague. This action point is translated in the polarisation, radicalization and jihadism program of The Hague for 2015-2019. An action point in this program is to remain and develop contact with the network partners in the community; the Islamic community is a very important one in this regard (Gemeente Den Haag, 2014). The city of The Hague has 75 Islamic institutions. The municipality of The Hague aims to maintain and expand the contacts with this dynamic network. One way to achieve this action point is to pro-actively confront and talk with people (Gemeente Den Haag, 2018).

The documents of the municipality of The Hague in the years before 2014 and after 2014 differ in the way they mention the problem of radicalization in their policies. The documents in 2006 (Gemeente Den Haag, 2016) show plans to deal with the problem of radicalization, but the approach was not that comprehensive and explicitly mentioned in the documents of the municipality of The Hague in 2014 and 2015. This adds to a general conclusion that the police deal more pro-actively with the problem of radicalization than they did before.

The results of the interviews are comparable with the outcome of the first factor of COP. Again, the respondents agree that this factor of COP is a general task of an NP. Therefore, the results of the interviews show that all respondents are busy to make partners within a community on a regular basis. These partners can compose of citizens or actors with whom the police cooperate (e.g. their network partners). The respondents argue that it is important to connect with people in the community in peacetime. If the NP’s succeed to bond in peacetime with these people, they argue that it is likely that these people are still willing to keep contact in times of conflict. However, the respondents do not all agree on the necessity to pro-actively search for partners in a community. They argue that the contact with citizens and network partners in a community arises spontaneously. Respondent IV points explicitly to the pro-active role of the NP. In his opinion, an NP should approach new residents and entrepreneurs in a certain community. He, as a former NP, used this pro-active approach in his daily work. If there were new residents or new entrepreneurs, he approached these people and introduced himself as an NP to these new people. He argues that a NP is the business card of the police on a local level. This example concretely shows how the NP’s work pro-actively to partner with the community. The rest of the respondents show similar examples of this factor of COP.

Furthermore, the respondents are asked if they noticed a change within the organization of the police after 2014. This question specifically focuses on the preventive role of the NP when it comes to the problem of radicalization. Again, the majority of the respondents noticed a change in their role as an NP after 2014 with regard to the problem of radicalization. The respondents spend more time to deal with this problem than they did before. The police prioritized the problem of radicalization on a local level. The regional CTER group is a good example of this prioritization. Their work with regard to the problem of radicalization is now more structured and professionalized. However, this new intensified focus on radicalization is still a process of trial and error. The policies and ideas to better deal with the problem of radicalization are recently introduced. Furthermore, the problem of radicalization is a dynamic one. Therefore, the police still adapt their policies and try to optimize their prevention strategies.

In short, the documents mention the growing importance of the problem of radicalization. The role of the police is mentioned in these documents and they should be present in the society and should work pro-actively with network partners. The interviews give a more detailed insight in this factor. The great majority of the respondents pro-actively search for new contacts in the community. They also notice a change within the police after 2014 in their role to prevent people to radicalize.