The House of Representatives does not understand why it has only now been announced that the police tap system has not worked for years. MPs consider this a dangerous development because it could put police officers and citizens in danger. The Chamber wonders whether it is possible to develop a Dutch company's tap system into a full-fledged system.
This is according to written questions (1) by Roelof Bisschip (SGP) to Justice and Security Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius.
The police tap system is used to eavesdrop on telephone conversations, find out location information and collect data traffic. It is an important tool for police to monitor public order and protect dignitaries.
The current system was purchased from Israeli defense company Elbit in 2019, but has not been working properly since its purchase. Police and Elbit employees have been trying to get the system working for three years, but without success. Police officials involved told NRC that every test with the system so far has failed.
"Elbit sold a system that could do everything. But a lot of it can't, or is unworkable. It is not for nothing that other countries such as Belgium have already thrown the system out the door," insiders tell the daily.
The failure of the tap system to work has not helped the mutual relations between officers and their superiors. Insiders say that work relations have soured as a result. Formal complaints have even been filed against the police leadership.
The news about the dysfunction of the tap system was deliberately brought out. Police officials said they had no other choice. "If we don't do this, people are in danger. This is crucial, this cannot continue like this," one of them told NRC.
This prompted Roelof Bisschop (SGP) to submit written questions to Minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius. Bisschop asks the minister how long she has known that the tap system does not work. "Why is this only coming out now?" the MP wondered.
The SGP'er asks the Minister of Justice and Security whether she is aware that the dysfunction of hey tap system potentially endangers police officers and citizens. He wants to know if the minister is aware of any cases in which the safety of police officers or citizens has been at stake because the system did not work.
"Why was not checked at the front end, during the tender, whether it was possible to implement Elbit's tap system in the Dutch police ICT and detection system?", Bisschop asks the minister. He wants to know what conditions the ministry imposed on the new tap system at the time.
The MP wonders aloud why the Ministry of Justice and Security did not do the same as Belgium and cancel the contract with Elbit. "Are you of the opinion that a non-working system can only cause damage?", Bishop wants to know. He inquires whether it is still possible to have the contract terminated.
The SGP group also has questions about costs. The party wants to know who is paying the external technicians who have been trying to get the tap system working for three years. "Is it stipulated in the contract with Elbit that these costs are to be borne by the supplier?" the SGP asks Minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius.
Finally, Bishop has some questions about the Dutch alternative Replay, developed by Fox-IT. That was developed as a complementary system, but in practice took over the role of the Israeli defense company's tap system. The MP wants to know if it is not possible to develop Fox-IT's tap system into a full-fledged system. That way there would be no need for two separate systems to coexist.
https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/kamervragen/detail?id=2022Z18278&did=2022D38816
