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97-559: The Dienst Speciale Interventies ( Special Intervention Service ), commonly abbreviated DSI , is the elite police tactical unit of the Dutch National Police Corps and was formally established on 1 July 2006. The DSI is tasked with neutralising terrorist incidents and other violent public order disruptions for which regular police units are inadequately equipped. In total, the DSI consists of about 600 active personnel. Since

194-470: A defence ministry that may have formal military status. Other government agencies, depending on the country, may establish specialized units with comparable taskings, training, and equipment, such as border guard , coast guard , customs , or corrections . In the United States , police tactical units are known by the generic term SWAT (special weapons and tactics) team ; the term originated from

291-489: A raid on the homes and offices of then-aldermen Richard de Mos and Rachid Guernaoui, as part of an investigation of alleged administrative corruption, bribery and violation of confidentiality. The offices of several municipal civil servants and the homes of three entrepreneurs were also searched for the investigation. The aldermen were suspected of receiving bribes in exchange for granting permits. In April 2023, De Mos and Guernaoui were acquitted of all charges. The Hague

388-638: A stadtholder to rule in their stead with the States of Holland and West Friesland as an advisory council. Although their seat was in The Hague, the city became subordinate to more important centres of government such as Brussels and Mechelen , from where the sovereigns ruled over the increasingly centralised Burgundian Netherlands . At the beginning of the Eighty Years' War , the absence of city walls proved disastrous, as it allowed Spanish troops to easily occupy

485-549: A buffer against France. As a compromise, Brussels and Amsterdam alternated as capital every two years, with the government remaining in The Hague. After the separation of Belgium in 1830, Amsterdam remained the capital of the Netherlands, while the government was situated in The Hague. When the government started to play a more prominent role in Dutch society after 1850, The Hague quickly expanded. Many streets were specifically built for

582-515: A charter dating from 1242. It became the primary residence of the Counts of Holland in 1358 and thus became the seat of many government institutions. This status allowed the village to grow; by the Late Middle Ages, it had grown to the size of a city, although it did not receive city rights . In its early years, the village was in the ambacht , or rural district, of Monster , which was governed by

679-633: A confidential experts report, the Second Balkenende cabinet decided to implement a revision of the Bijzondere Bijstandseenheid , the spearhead counter-terrorism unit at the time. The DSI unofficially commenced operations in 2005, the formal establishment took place on 1 July 2006, and was at that time part of the National police services agency. In 2007 a report surfaced that found that the DSI suffered from personnel shortages. This shortage

776-533: A joint command. Therefore, a distinction should be made between the respective histories of the Special Support Units ( Bijzondere Bijstandseenheid, BBE ) and the Arrest Teams ( Arrestatieteams, AT's ). In 1973, the first Dutch counter-terrorist unit was established under the name Special Support Unit-Marines ( Bijzondere Bijstandseenheid Mariniers, BBE-M ). The unit was established in response to

873-517: A letter to Den Haag will be delivered just as well. The railway stations use the name Den Haag , as do signposts. The area was part of the Roman province of Germania Inferior and was close to the border of the empire, the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes . In 1997, four Roman milestones were discovered at Wateringse Veld. The originals are in the " Museon " museum. The milestones indicate

970-416: A marine unit, M-Squadron has extensive expertise in maritime environments. While the various DSI units all have specific equipment for their respective tasks, some personal equipment can be seen with all units. All operators that are active within the DSI wear the same grey uniforms and equipment, and wear the 'Politie' patch on their chests and backs, this applies to military personnel as well. The choice for

1067-549: A new theatre, Amare , which would house both institutes as well as the Royal Conservatory . Despite efforts of the municipality, public support for the proposed theatre remains low. At the heart of the city centre across the palace gardens is the home of Summerschool Den Haag , an international school for dance with guest teachers such as Valentina Scaglia , Igone de Jongh , and Maia Makhateli . The Koninklijke Schouwburg , home to Het Nationale Theater , can also be found in

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1164-639: A personal service car. All DSI personnel attend a multiple week specialised driving course. Operators learn to maneuver the vehicle in a quick and safe manner. In addition, the impact of the additional weight of the armour on the driving characteristics are addressed. Furthermore, car procedures are trained to subdue suspects in cars. The DSI has access to a large and diverse car fleet: The DSI fleet includes multiple armoured personnel carriers (APCs). Lenco BearCats and Lenco Bears are deployed during high risk interventions, certain firearm incidents, and large scale terrorist attacks. A number of vehicles are fitted with

1261-526: A population of 6,659,300. The Hague lies at the southwestern corner of the second-largest conurbation in the European Union . The Hague is divided into eight official districts which are, in turn, divided into neighbourhoods. Some of the most prosperous and some of the poorest neighbourhoods of the Netherlands can be found in The Hague. The wealthier areas such as Statenkwartier , Belgisch Park , Marlot , Benoordenhout and Archipelbuurt are generally in

1358-528: A specialism. Individual AT operators are free to pass on their specialism of choice to their superiors. Personnel can choose the following specialisms: The DSI consist of four departments: The Arrest and Support Teams Department ( Dutch : Afdeling Arrestatie- en Ondersteuningteams, A-AOT ) has six regional ATs residing under its command: AT North East ( Noord-Oost ), AT The Hague ( Den Haag ), AT South ( Zuid ), AT Amsterdam, AT Centre ( Midden ) and AT Rotterdam. While each team has their own area of responsibility,

1455-625: A year, it is the most popular beach town in the Benelux area. Kijkduin , in the southwest, is The Hague's other beach resort. It is significantly smaller and attracts mainly local residents. The former Dutch colony of the East Indies , now Indonesia , has left its mark on The Hague. Since the 19th century, high-level civil servants from the Dutch East Indies often spent long-term leave and vacations in The Hague. Many streets are named after places in

1552-722: Is Muziekcafé de Paap. The Spuiplein is a modern fourth square in the city centre, opposite the Nieuwe Kerk . Besides the City Hall , this was also the location of the Anton Philipszaal , home to the Residentie Orchestra , and the Lucent Danstheater , home to the internationally celebrated modern dance company Nederlands Dans Theater . These buildings, designed by Rem Koolhaas in 1988, have been demolished to make space for

1649-464: Is a consortium of those institutions. Its member institutions are: In 1948, the Congress of Europe was held with 750 delegates from 26 European governments, providing them with the opportunity to discuss ideas about the development of European integration , which eventually culminated in the creation of the modern-day European Union . The Hague has a service-oriented economy. A professional life in

1746-554: Is a mixed unit consisting of both law enforcement and military operators, which main tasks are to conduct the arrest of terror suspects and organised crime figures, and to neutralise ongoing terror attacks. The mixed unit consist of approximately one third operators of M-Squadron ( NLMARSOF ) and the Korps Commandotroepen , one third operators of the police ATs and one third AT operators of the BSB. Operators of these units are attached to

1843-624: Is a significant convergence of roles, tactics and force when employed in either an armed conflict or policing role". Aside from counterterrorism, the roles of police and military units differ in that the role of military units can result in the use of the maximum permissible force against enemy combatants while the role of police units is to use only minimal force sufficient to subdue suspected criminals, including negotiation. The Hague The Hague ( / h eɪ ɡ / HAYG ; Dutch : Den Haag [dɛn ˈɦaːx] or 's-Gravenhage [ˌsxraːvə(n)ˈɦaːɣə] )

1940-474: Is also host to the regional headquarters of Siemens , T-Mobile , AT&T , Huawei , Kuwait Petroleum Corporation , McDermott International , Saudi Aramco , TotalEnergies and Worley . There has never been any large-scale industrial activity in The Hague, with the possible exception of the fishing activities of the harbour in Scheveningen . Many of the city's logistical and minor-industrial services are in

2037-512: Is becoming more student-friendly with the introduction of a new campus in 2012 of Leiden University as well as Leiden University College The Hague , which was established in 2010. The Royal Conservatory of The Hague and the Royal Academy of Art are also located there, as well as The Hague University , a vocational university and a branch of The Open University of the Netherlands . The city has many civil servants and diplomats . In fact,

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2134-449: Is certain is that The Hague was founded by the last counts of the House of Holland . Floris IV already owned two residences in the area, but presumably purchased a third court situated by the present-day Hofvijver in 1229, previously owned by a woman called Meilendis. Presumably, Floris IV intended to rebuild the court into a large castle, but he died in a tournament in 1234, before anything

2231-655: Is home to many different international judicial bodies, such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT). It houses Scheveningen Prison , the ICC's detention center for those suspected of war crimes and other violations of international law. The Hague is the fourth major centre for

2328-442: Is provided with a ballistic helmet, model Ulbrichts Zenturio, which is fitted with an armoured glass visor that can withstand multiple 9mm rounds. In addition, all operators are provided with a lightweight Ops-Core FAST SF Super High Cut helmet that enables more freedom of movement and situational awareness. Furthermore, DSI operators are given a heavy bulletproof vest as well as a lighter plate carrier (model First Spear AAC). Much of

2425-592: Is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands . With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea , The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government , and while the official capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam , The Hague has been described as the country's de facto capital since

2522-407: Is the most common religion among people with a Turkish or Moroccan migration background. Among people of Surinamese heritage there is more religious diversity, with Hinduism being the most common. Of The Hague's native Dutch population, most religious people adhere to Christianity. Just under 40% of the population of The Hague regularly attends a house of worship. As of the 2022 municipal election ,

2619-737: Is the seat of the Cabinet , the States General , the Supreme Court , and the Council of State of the Netherlands. King Willem-Alexander officially lives in the Huis ten Bosch and works at the Noordeinde Palace together with Queen Máxima . Most foreign embassies in the Netherlands are in the city. The Hague is also home to the headquarters of many Dutch companies , with Shell plc having major offices in

2716-648: The Atlantic Wall was built through the city, causing a large quarter to be torn down by the Nazi occupants. On 3 March 1945, the Royal Air Force mistakenly bombed the Bezuidenhout quarter. The target was an installation of V-2 rockets in the nearby Haagse Bos park, but because of navigational errors, the bombs fell on a heavily populated and historic part of the city. The bombardment wreaked widespread destruction in

2813-536: The Binnenhof ) contains a six-screen Pathé cinema and a handful of bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity. Adjacent to the Buitenhof is De Passage , the country's first covered shopping mall. Dating from the late 19th century, it contains many expensive and speciality shops. One of the country's largest music venues, Paard van Troje , can be found in the centre of The Hague. Another popular music venue in The Hague

2910-574: The Haagse Bos and work in the Noordeinde Palace in the city centre. Moreover, there are two former royal palaces in The Hague. The Kneuterdijk Palace , built in 1716, is now home to the Council of State of the Netherlands , and the Lange Voorhout Palace is now occupied by the Escher Museum , dedicated to Dutch graphical artist M. C. Escher . The Hague has its share of museums, most notably

3007-470: The Hagenezen , who speak plat Haags ("vulgar"); see Demographics below. The districts are: The Hague experiences a temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen: Cfb ) similar to almost all of the Netherlands. Because of its location on the coast, it experiences milder winters and cooler summers than more inland locations. However, because of its location, it can also be extremely windy in the winter and humid in

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3104-634: The Mauritshuis , located next to the Binnenhof, which exhibits many paintings by Dutch masters, such as Johannes Vermeer , Rembrandt van Rijn and Paulus Potter . Other museums include the science museum Museon , the modern art museum Kunstmuseum , the historic museum Haags Historisch Museum , the national postal museum Museum voor Communicatie , the Museum Bredius , the Louis Couperus Museum ,

3201-616: The Ministry of Justice and Security and the Ministry of the Interior wrote legislation which corroborated the founding of four ATs within the Rijkspolitie , and six ATs within the municipal police forces of the large cities. The legislation included regulation which stated that the ATs could be deployed exclusively for the arrest of suspects known for illegal gun possession , while requiring permission of

3298-572: The Munich massacre , and the rising threat of terrorism throughout Europe. The members of the new unit were recruited from the Netherlands Marine Corps . In 2005, the BBE-M was renamed to Unit Intervention Marines (UIM), and was once again renamed to M-Squadron with the creation of NLMARSOF in 2013. Following the establishment of the BBE-M, two additional units consisting of snipers were founded:

3395-695: The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons , Europol , and approximately 200 other international governmental organizations . The name "The Hague" is commonly used as a totum pro parte to refer to either of the international courts that reside in the city. The Hague was first mentioned as Die Haghe in 1242. In the 15th century, the name des Graven hage came into use, literally meaning "the Count's Grove", with connotations such as "hedge", "private enclosure" or "hunting grounds". The count in question

3492-772: The Philadelphia Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department in the 1960s. In Australia , the federal government uses the term police tactical group . The European Union uses the term special intervention unit for national counterterrorist PTUs. Police tactical units have similarities to military special forces units such as organization, selection, training, equipment, and operational methodologies. Police tactical units, similar to military units, are not gender diverse , with female members being rare. For "certain counter terrorism operations, such as hostage rescue, there

3589-501: The Ridderzaal ("Knights' Hall"), still intact, is the most prominent. It is still used for political events, such as the annual speech from the throne by the Dutch monarch . From the 13th century onward, the counts of Holland used The Hague as their administrative center and residence when in Holland. The village that originated around the Binnenhof was first mentioned as Die Haghe in

3686-635: The Rotterdam The Hague Airport and a light rail system called RandstadRail . This led to the creation of the Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan area . This large conurbation centred on The Hague and Rotterdam is, in turn, part of the Randstad —specifically a band of municipalities called the South Wing ( Zuidvleugel ). The Randstad, which also includes among others Amsterdam and Utrecht , has

3783-461: The United Nations , after New York, Geneva and Vienna. The foundation of The Hague as an "international city of peace and justice" started at the end of the 19th century, when the first global peace conference took place in The Hague on Tobias Asser 's initiative, with a second one a few years later. A direct result of these meetings was the establishment of the world's first organisation for

3880-449: The municipal council of The Hague contains thirteen parties, most notably the local Heart for The Hague (HvDH; 9 seats), Democrats 66 (D66; 8 seats), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD; 7 seats) and GroenLinks (5 seats). Since 2019, the municipal executive has comprised VVD, D66, GroenLinks, CDA and PvdA. The chairman of the college is Mayor Jan van Zanen (VVD), and

3977-446: The 13th century Binnenhof , and this is still considered the cultural centre of the city. Nightlife centres around the three main squares in the city centre. The Plein (literally "Square") is taken by several large sidewalk cafés where often politicians may be spotted. The Grote Markt (literally "Great Market") is completely strewn with chairs and tables, summer or winter. The Buitenhof (literally "Outer Court", located just outside

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4074-605: The 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, opened in the former headquarters of the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service in Leidschendam , a town within the greater area of The Hague. Other major international and European organisations based in The Hague include: Many academic institutions in the fields of international relations, international law, and international development are based in The Hague. The Hague Academic Coalition (HAC)

4171-649: The Binckhorst in the Laak district, which contains many sizeable warehouses. Tourism is an important sector in The Hague. The city is the second biggest Dutch tourist destination, after Amsterdam . In 2012, The Hague welcomed 1.2 million tourists (an increase of 80,000 compared to the previous year), half of whom came from abroad. The number of hotel nights in the city increased by 5%; in particular, visitors from neighbouring countries are finding their way to The Hague. Compared to 2011 Belgians booked 27% more hotel nights, while

4268-676: The DSI allocates AT operators to the Rapid Response Teams (RRTs). The RRTs patrol the large cities and specific high-risk locations throughout the Netherlands on a 24/7 basis, and each consist of three AT operators in an armoured vehicle. The RRTs are the first DSI unit on-scene of a violent (terrorist) incident. Working as an operator within one of the ATs is a full-time job. When operators are not working AT cases or RRT shifts, they are training their physical fitness, techniques and procedures and their respective team specialisation. The Intervention Department ( Dutch : Afdeling Interventie, AI )

4365-424: The DSI received a considerable and structural budget increase. The DSI currently has an annual budget of approximately €70,3 million. The first courses for the Arrest Teams took place in 1978 under the command of the Rijkspolitie . In 1979, the ministers of Justice and the minister of the Interior, established four Arrest Teams under the command of the national police ( Rijkspolitie ), and six Arrest Teams under

4462-496: The DSI's personal equipment is customised and/or tailor-made for the service's specific needs and requirements. All operators are trained to use night-vision goggles , the DSI fields PVS-31 and GPNVG-18 goggles. Pointmen have access to multiple types of ballistic shields. Weapons in use include, among others: The DSI use armoured versions of civilian vehicles to perform their tasks. During on-call duties, during which operators are available for 24 hours, DSI personnel have access to

4559-462: The DSI. Predominantly KTM and BMW motorcycles are used. Three AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters Dienst Luchtvaartpolitie are available for the Quick Reaction Air (QRA) to respond to incidents that require a larger presence of personnel. Police tactical unit Police tactical units are dedicated units composed of personnel selected and trained in tactical skillsets to carry out

4656-537: The DSI. This includes police negotiators, snipers and technical experts (e.g. drone operators). M-Squadron is part of NLMARSOF , the special operations forces of the Netherlands Marine Corps , and is formally not part of the DSI. However, during national deployments M-Squadron operates under the command of the DSI. M-Squadron is the tip of the spear counterterrorist unit in the Netherlands and tasked with conducting large-scale, prolonged and complex interventions, such as ships, oil platforms , trains and airliners . As

4753-499: The Germans were good for 24% more hotel nights, and the French booked 20% more hotel nights. The 14% average increase in visits by foreign tourists more than compensated for the slight decrease of less than 1% by Dutch visitors. Tourists spend an average of €2 billion a year in the local economy. Today 1 in 10 residents make their living in the tourism sector. The Hague originated around

4850-671: The Intervention Department for a period of time and are required to complete the AT and National Intervention Course beforehand. In addition to the planned raids the unit conducts, the AI maintains several strategically located operating bases for the Quick Reaction Force {QRF). The QRFs consist of robust teams of Intervention Department operators – these teams are larger, more heavily equipped and contain more specialists (such as snipers) than

4947-450: The Lord of Monster. Seeking to exercise more direct control over the village, however, the Count split the village off and created a separate ambacht called Haagambacht, governed directly by the Counts of Holland. The territory of Haagambacht was considerably expanded during the reign of Floris V. When the House of Burgundy inherited the counties of Holland and Zeeland in 1432, they appointed

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5044-618: The Mobile Adjustable Ramp System or Articulating Ramp Conversion, produced by the American firm PATRIOT3. This system uses hydraulic ramps to enable raids at high altitudes. For potential aircraft hijacking , the DSI has access to multiple YPR-765 Aircraft Assault Vehicles of the Royal Marechaussee , a tracked light armored vehicle that is fitted with steps and ramps at airplane height. Multiple motorcycles are in use within

5141-700: The Netherlands East Indies (as well as other former Dutch colonies such as Suriname) and there is a sizable " Indo " (i.e. mixed Dutch-Indonesian) community. Since the loss of these Dutch possessions in December 1949, " Indo people " also known as "Indische people" often refer to The Hague as "the Widow of the Indies". The older parts of the town have many characteristically wide and long streets. Houses are generally low-rise (often not more than three floors). A large part of

5238-444: The Netherlands, while 15.6% has at least one parent who was born abroad in a western country, and 34.4% has at least one parent that was born in a non-western country. Just under half of The Hague's population identifies with a religious group. The two most popular religions are Christianity (29%) and Islam (14.1%). Religiosity is higher among people with a recent migration background from Indonesia, Turkey, Morocco and Surinam. Islam

5335-587: The Rapid Response Teams. The QRF teams are on-call 24/7 and respond to actual instances of terrorist incidents or other violent cases that require an intervention. Moreover, the Intervention Department can use the Quick Reaction Air (QRA) concept, which provides the DSI with three AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters of the Dienst Luchtvaartpolitie , to allow for a quick response time throughout the country. The Expertise and Operational Support Department ( Dutch : Afdeling Expertise & Operationele Ondersteuning, AE&OO ) provides operational support to all units within

5432-503: The Special Support Unit-Police ( Bijzondere Bijstandseenheid Politie, BBE-P ) and the Special Support Unit-Military ( Bijzondere Bijstandseenheid Krijgsmacht, BBE-K ). Personnel of the BBE-P was recruited from the police, while personnel of the BBE-K was recruited from the Netherlands armed forces . With the establishment of the DSI, the two units were merged into the Unit Expertise and Operational Support ( Afdeling Expertise & Operationele Ondersteuning, AE&OO ). In addition,

5529-432: The Special Support Unit-Rapid Intervention Unit ( BBE-Snelle Interventie Eenheid, BBE-SIE ) was created. The BBE-SIE consisted of both law enforcement and military personnel and functioned as a rapidly deployable counter-terrorist unit. The tasks of the BBE-SIE were transferred to the Unit Intervention with the establishment of the DSI. During the end of the 1960s an operational need developed for units capable of handling

5626-445: The UN's International Court of Justice . The establishments of the Iran–United States Claims Tribunal (1981), the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (1993), and the International Criminal Court (2002) in the city further consolidated its role as a centre for international legal arbitration. Most recently, on 1 March 2009, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon , a UN tribunal to investigate and prosecute suspects in

5723-435: The area and caused 511 fatalities. Because of uncertainty about what to do after the destructions of the bombing, nobody attempted to plan a reconstruction of Bezuidenhout. In 1962, David Jokinen saw an opportunity to put an end to the situation where two main stations each served only part of the rail traffic. The Jokinen Plan included the intent to demolish the Staatsspoor Station entirely, with Hollands Spoor becoming

5820-417: The central station. Jokinen's plan sparked fierce discussions. The plan was not implemented, in part because it was only presented when decision-making had finally reached an advanced stage. In the site of the Staatsspoor station now stands the Den Haag Centraal railway station . After the war, The Hague became at one time the largest building site in Europe . The city expanded massively to the southwest, and

5917-421: The city as well. The Royal Library of the Netherlands is also located there. The Hague's coastal area includes the popular seaside resort Scheveningen . The Hague is known as the global hub of international law and arbitration. The International Court of Justice , the main judicial arm of the United Nations , is based in the city, as are the International Criminal Court , the Permanent Court of Arbitration ,

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6014-399: The city centre – on the Korte Voorhout. New European Ensemble is a collective for contemporary music consisting on international musicians. The ensemble has its main base in the city. Scheveningen forms a second cultural centre of The Hague, having its own Pathé cinema as well as the musical theatre Circustheater although, especially in the summer, most night life concentrates around

6111-442: The city has eight aldermen: Anne Mulder , Kavita Parbhudayal (both VVD), Robert van Asten, Saskia Bruines (both D66), Liesbeth van Tongeren , Bert van Alphen (both GroenLinks), Hilbert Bredemeijer (CDA) and Martijn Balster (PvdA). Each alderman is responsible for a number of particular policy areas and one of the city's eight districts. On 1 October 2019, the National Department of Criminal Investigation ( Rijksrecherche ) performed

6208-706: The city is dominated by a large number of civil servants and diplomats working in the city; as of 2006 , 26% of the jobs in The Hague are those offered by the Dutch government or the international institutions. Large employers in this sector include the ministries of Defence , Justice , Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment , Foreign Affairs , the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Transport, Public Works and Water Management . Several large international businesses have their headquarters in The Hague. Significant companies headquartered in The Hague include Aegon , APM Terminals , Damco , NIBC Bank , Chicago Bridge & Iron Company and PostNL . The city

6305-433: The city is more spacious than other Dutch cities and because of the incorporation of large and old nobility estates, the creation of various parks, and the use of green zones around natural streams, it is a much more green city than any other in the Netherlands. That is, excepting some medieval close-knitted streets in the centre. The Hague has a canal system around the old city center, which is mainly used for boat tours around

6402-416: The city of The Hague were highly controversial. In the 1990s, with the consent of the Dutch Parliament, The Hague annexed large areas from neighboring and non-adjacent towns to build new residential areas, which are still being developed today. The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea in the Netherlands and forms the centre of the Greater The Hague urban area . Westland and Wateringen lie to

6499-530: The city. Most of the canals were drained in the late 19th century and some were filled between 1910 and 1970 but many have been restored recently. The tallest buildings of The Hague are both 146-meter-tall ministries of Justice and Security and the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands, designed by Hans Kollhoff . Other significant skyscrapers include the Hoftoren , Het Strijkijzer and De Kroon . Religions in The Hague (2015) As of 1 January 2021, The Hague counts 549,163 inhabitants, making it

6596-452: The colour grey has multiple reasons. The predominant reason is to advance the image of the DSI and to increase esprit de corps . Moreover, the DSI can be easily distinguished from other specialised law enforcement tactical units while the grey gear also complicates police impersonation. Lastly, the colour grey signifies the character of a mixed unit, situated between the 'blue' (law enforcement) and 'green' (military) worlds. Each DSI operator

6693-543: The command of the municipal police forces ( Gemeentepolitie ) of the six largest cities. Since the re-organization of the Dutch police in 1994, all aspiring AT personnel attend the same basic training at the police academy. The training takes place in several locations throughout the country and takes a total of twenty weeks in which aspiring AT-operators are trained extensively in shooting, house clearing, de-escalation and an extensive specialized driving course. Marines of M-Squadron that are detached to Unit Intervention undergo

6790-404: The complete AT-training as well. Because of the strict psychological, social and physical selection of the operators, the intense course, frequent training, and high-quality equipment, DSI personnel are well equipped to deploy in highly challenging situations. The extensive training enables the operators to arrest suspects with as little violence as possible. Additionally, all DSI operators develop

6887-413: The destroyed areas were quickly rebuilt. The population peaked at 600,000 inhabitants around 1965. In the 1970s and 1980s, mostly white middle-class families moved to neighbouring towns such as Voorburg , Leidschendam , Rijswijk and (most of all) Zoetermeer . This led to the traditional pattern of an impoverished inner city and more prosperous suburbs. Attempts to include parts of these municipalities in

6984-405: The distance from the nearest Roman city, Forum Hadriani (modern Voorburg ), and can be dated to the reign of the emperors Antoninus Pius (138–161; the column is dated 151), Caracalla (211–217), Gordian III (238–244), and Decius (249–251). Little is known about the origin of The Hague. There are no contemporary documents describing it, and later sources are often of dubious reliability. What

7081-519: The establishment of the National Police Corps in 2013 the regular Arrest Teams were placed under the command of the DSI. Following the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in 2015, the need arose for a flexible and mobile teams of special forces in the Netherlands . Subsequently, the Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) were established. The RRTs consist of both police and military personnel. Additionally,

7178-424: The growth to continue to just over 600,000 inhabitants by 2030. The demonym of The Hague officially is Hagenaar , but the term Hagenees is informally used for someone who was born and raised in The Hague. The usage of these demonyms appears to be class-bound, with Hagenaar being the upper-class term and Hagenees being that of the lower-class. 43% of the population of The Hague has two parents that were born in

7275-475: The increasingly violent organized crime . In 1969, the municipal police of the city of Arnhem founded the Special Missions Unit. Several districts of the Rijkspolitie established comparable units. In 1973, one of the units was labeled Arrestatieteam (Arrest Team, AT). This development led to the creation of the first comprehensive AT training courses within the Rijkspolitie in 1978. Consequently,

7372-466: The integration of the regional Arrest Teams ( Arrestatieteams, AT's ), in 2013, the DSI functions as an umbrella organization coordinating the operations of both the ATs and the counter-terrorism elements . The mixed unit has a unique character as it consists of both law enforcement and military personnel. Since the regional Arrest Teams of the police were incorporated into the DSI in 2013, multiple units with an independent history have resided under

7469-564: The large number of civil servants employed in the country's government and for the Dutchmen who were retiring from the administration of the Netherlands East Indies . The growing city amalgamated the rural municipality of Loosduinen partly in 1903 and completely in 1923. The city sustained heavy damage during World War II . Many Jews were killed during the German occupation. Additionally,

7566-539: The northwestern part of the city, closer to the sea, whereas the southeastern neighbourhoods such as Transvaal , Moerwijk , and the Schilderswijk are significantly poorer, except the Vinex-locations of Leidschenveen-Ypenburg and Wateringse Veld . This division is reflected in the local accent: The more affluent citizens are usually called "Hagenaars" and speak so-called bekakt Haags ("posh"), this contrasts with

7663-439: The number and variety of foreign residents (especially the expatriates ) make the city quite culturally diverse, with many foreign pubs , shops and cultural events. The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea and includes two distinct beach resorts . The main beach resort Scheveningen , in the northwestern part of the city, is a popular destination for tourists as well as for inhabitants. With 10 million visitors

7760-624: The privileges normally granted only to cities. In modern administrative law, "city rights" have no place anymore. In 1806, when the Kingdom of Holland was a puppet state of the First French Empire , the settlement was granted city rights by Louis Bonaparte . After the Napoleonic Wars , modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands were combined in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands to form

7857-522: The problematic siege of a house in The Hague which was part of operations aimed at the arrest of terrorists belonging to the Hofstad Network . To prevent these situations, the DSI unified law enforcement and military tasks in one organisation. The goal of this unification was to increase both interoperability and efficiency, and to combine the specialisations of both the police and the military. Following

7954-550: The public prosecutor as well. With the reorganisation of the Dutch police in 1994, the ATs of both the Rijkspolitie and municipal police were restructured to form six interregional ATs. In addition, the AT of the Brigade Speciale Beveiligingsopdrachten (BSB) of the Royal Marechaussee was incorporated as well. The DSI was established in 2006 to improve the joint deployments of the several police tactical units. Points of improvement became apparent after

8051-451: The responsibilities of the unit, and in use-of-force policies, including lethal force for counterterrorism . A PTU is equipped with specialized police and military-type equipment. PTU personnel may also be trained in crisis negotiation . A police tactical unit can be part of either a police force under the authority of civilian officials , or a gendarmerie -style force under the authority of civilian officials ( interior ministry ) or

8148-546: The sea-front boulevard with its bars, restaurants and gambling halls. Several other attractions can be found in Scheveningen, such as the miniature park Madurodam , the Beelden aan Zee museum, and a Sea Life Centre . The Hague is the residence of the Dutch monarch, and several (former) royal palaces can be found in the city. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands live in Huis ten Bosch in

8245-677: The settlement of international disputes, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). Shortly thereafter, the Scottish-American millionaire Andrew Carnegie made the necessary funds available to build the Peace Palace to house the PCA. After the establishment of the League of Nations , The Hague became the seat of the Permanent Court of International Justice , which was replaced (after World War II ) by

8342-513: The south, Rijswijk , Delft and the Rotterdam conurbation (known as Rijnmond ) to the southeast, Pijnacker-Nootdorp and Zoetermeer to the east, Leidschendam-Voorburg , Voorschoten and the Leiden conurbation to the northeast and Wassenaar to the north. The conurbations around The Hague and Rotterdam are close enough to be seen as a single conurbation in some contexts. For example, they share

8439-429: The southwestern city was planned by the progressive Dutch architect H.P. Berlage about 1910. This 'Plan Berlage' decided the spacious and homely streets for several decades. In World War II, a large amount of the western portion of The Hague was destroyed by the Germans. Afterward, modernist architect W.M. Dudok planned its renewal, putting apartment blocks for the middle class in open park-like settings. The layout of

8536-526: The summer. It also gets more sunshine. City life concentrates around the Hofvijver and the Binnenhof , where the States General of the Netherlands is located. Because of its history, the historical inner city of The Hague differs in various aspects from the nearby smaller cities of Leiden and Delft . It does not have a cramped inner city, bordered by canals and walls. Instead, it has some small streets in

8633-435: The team operators and administrative personnel. The primary task of the Arrest Teams is to conduct the arrests of high-risk individuals, for which regular police personnel is inadequately trained and equipped. The planned AT cases are often the final chapter of a criminal investigation. In addition to the execution of planned raids, ATs can respond to ad hoc cases such as terrorist incidents or disturbed persons. For example,

8730-486: The teams are interchangeable and can be deployed outside of their respective regions throughout all of the Netherlands. In addition to the police ATs, the AT of the Brigade Speciale Beveiligingsopdrachten (BSB) of the Royal Marechaussee , is provided to the DSI and partakes in all operations as well due to the complete interoperability. An AT consists of one Team Commander, four Section Commanders,

8827-636: The third-largest city in the Netherlands. Between 1800 and 1960, the city saw considerable growth from 40,000 in 1800 to 200,000 in 1900 and eventually 600,000 in 1960. The growth following 1900 was partially caused by the housing act of 1901, which stimulated the expansion of cities such as The Hague. In the period between 1960 and 1980, The Hague saw a shrinkage from 600,000 to 440,000 inhabitants, caused mostly by spatial policy, demographic processes, and lack of space. After several annexations and housing constructions, The Hague has since grown again, celebrating its 500,000th inhabitant in 2011. The municipality expects

8924-652: The time of the Dutch Republic . The Hague is the core municipality of the Greater The Hague urban area containing over 800,000 residents, and is also part of the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area , which, with a population of approximately 2.6 million, is the largest metropolitan area of the Netherlands. The city is also part of the Randstad region, one of the largest conurbations in Europe. The Hague

9021-461: The town centre that may be dated from the late Middle Ages and several spacious streets boasting large and luxurious 18th-century residences built for diplomats and affluent Dutch families. It has a large church dating from the 15th century, a City Hall (built as such) from the 16th century, several large 17th-century palaces, a 17th-century Protestant church built in what was then a modern style, and many important 18th-century buildings. The city

9118-593: The town. In 1575, the States of Holland, temporarily based in Delft , even considered demolishing the city but this proposal was abandoned, after mediation by William the Silent . In 1588, The Hague became the permanent seat of the States of Holland as well as the States General of the Dutch Republic . For the administration to maintain control over city matters, The Hague never received official city status, although it did have many of

9215-469: Was built. His son and successor William II lived in the court, and after he was elected King of the Romans in 1248, he promptly returned to The Hague, and had builders turn the court into a "royal palace" ( regale palacium ), which would later be called the Binnenhof ("Inner Court"). He died in 1256 before this palace was completed but parts of it were finished during the reign of his son Floris V , of which

9312-430: Was partly caused by a relatively large outflow of personnel. Personnel leaving the service often stated that a lack of deployments was the main reason for their departure. The government commission tasked with evaluating the effectiveness, however, found that the general consensus was that the service functioned in a good manner. The commission was enthusiastic about the cooperation among police and military personnel. With

9409-468: Was the Count of Holland (as is the case with nearby 's-Gravenzande ). The spelling ' s-Gravenhage was officially used for the city from the 17th century onward. Today, this name is only used in some official documents such as birth and marriage certificates. The city itself uses Den Haag in all its communications. The post office specifies that letters should be addressed to ' s-Gravenhage , but

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