Development of a crisis negotiation database in The Netherlands: Insights for implementing intelligence-led policing systems

Advancing the rapidly growing field of intelligence-led policing, this article describes the development of the Negotiator Database – Netherlands (NDB-NL), dedicated to the field of crisis negotiation. Obtaining crisis negotiation data that is representative in scale and comprehensive in (psychological) information is challenging but essential for both practical insights and scientific advancements. Established through close collaboration between Dutch practitioners and researchers, the NDB-NL addresses this need. This paper outlines the Database Development Model, describing its four phases: Preparation, Development, Pilot Testing, and Implementation. The NDB-NL workgroup, including the authors, prioritised system usability and practical and scientific value to enable practitioners to document information across 70 data fields following an incident deployment. Beyond its operational function, the NDB-NL enhances knowledge management by structuring, preserving, and facilitating the sharing of critical negotiation insights, ensuring long-term accessibility for analysis, training, and policy development. Through analysis, the NDB-NL has the potential to further professionalise the field by providing data-driven strategies that align with the principles of modern law enforcement. This paper highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration for policing and offers concrete guidelines for implementing or improving similar systems. Through structured data collection and analysis, the NDB-NL facilitates advancements in police crisis communication practice.