The aim of the National Detectives is to work towards an integer Sint Maarten. The National Detectives strive to work professionally, diligently, impartially and as a reliable partner.

The organization carries out investigations based on facts and behaviors, when the integrity of governments, persons or legal entities that are involved in or execute public tasks, is compromised. Besides criminal investigations, the National Detectives also conduct fact finding investigations and provide advices to those concerned. If necessary the National Detectives also conduct international investigations. This is done in cooperation with interregional, kingdom and international organizations.

Giving that the National Detectives have to operate independently an impartially, it is necessary that it has its own Organizational Management (Bedrijfsvoering).

The personnel of the National Detectives are investigative officers, with specific training/knowledge on integrity, detective work and other specialized tasks. The organization imposes high ethical demands on its workers. For example, the personnel are required to have a high moral responsibility.

The National Detectives is an organization within the Ministry of Justice. As main task the National Detectives perform investigations based on suspicion of criminal offences, that involve members of the public sector and/or government owned entities.

Before the 10th of October 2010 the National Detectives were part of the local police force, Police Corps of the Netherlands Antilles (KPNA). Since then the organization has become an independent entity, to better enable independent and impartial integrity investigations. 

On the 10th of October 2010 the organization was introduced into the Kingdom Act of police and institutionalized on Sint Maarten by article 15 of the Justice Organization Decree. The tasks of the organization are further defined in the National Decree Constituting General Measures (LBHAM) regulating the tasks, organization and jurisdiction of the National Detectives.

The Attorney – General (Procureur – General), of Curacao, Sint Maarten and BES-islands, is ultimately responsible for the tasks of the organization, meaning the quality and quantity of the detective work and the personnel. The Minister of Justice of Sint Maarten is responsible for the finances of the organization. 

The National Detectives see integrity as: “Being willing and able to use one’s position for the general interest with respect for the rule of law.

Absence of integrity is detrimental to the development of Sint Maarten and the well-being of its people and businesses. This is the reason why the National Detectives have integrity as its main focus. The proper functioning of the government administration and government owned companies is about Integrity and thus have attention of the National Detectives. However, detecting criminal offences and conducting criminal investigations on integrity breaches by the government (entities), are part of the main tasks of the detectives of the National Detectives. In particular Corruption.

The abuse and misuse and/or waste of public funds by for example the deliberate negotiating of poor contracts with the aim of self-benefit;

Procurement procedures being used for self-gain.

In addition, corruption can emerge from poor administration, such as low checks and balances, in financial procedures or in procedures to obtain a public service, which leave room for embezzlement or arbitrary preferences by the individual while performing public services. The National Detectives are also responsible for writing administrative reports after detecting maladministration during investigations.