CAT/C/NLD/CO/7 43. Recalling the Committee’s previous recommendations (CAT/C/NLD/CO/5-6, para. 27), the State party should: (a) Refrain from routine distribution and use of electrical discharge weapons by police officers in their day-to-day policing, with a view to establishing a high threshold for their use and avoiding excessive use of force; (b) Ensure that electrical discharge weapons are used exclusively in limited situations where there is a real and immediate threat to life or risk of serious injury, as a substitute for lethal weapons and by trained law enforcement officers only; (c) Explicitly prohibit the use of electrical discharge weapons and pepper spray against vulnerable persons, including minors and pregnant women, and in health-care settings, including mental health institutions, and especially prohibit the use of electrical discharge weapons in custodial settings; (d) Ensure that instructions on the use of electrical discharge weapons and pepper spray emphasize the absolute prohibition of torture and the need to respect the principles of necessity and proportionality, fully in accordance with the Convention and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials; (e) Adopt safeguards against the misuse of electrical discharge weapons and pepper spray and provide proper training and awareness programmes for law enforcement personnel; (f) Monitor and regularly review the use of electrical discharge weapons and pepper spray, and provide the Committee with information on that subject. Ill-treatment by police based on racial profiling 44. While noting the training programmes that are in place to combat racial profiling by law enforcement personnel, the Committee is concerned about reports that police continue to target racial minorities during “stop-and-search”, leading to degrading treatment. It also regrets the absence of systematic monitoring and recording of how the police are executing their stop-and-search powers (arts. 2, 12–14 and 16). 45. The State party should take measures to monitor and prevent arbitrary stops, searches and arrests based on racial profiling and ensure the correct and effective use of compulsory measures. In that regard, it should conduct a study on that practice with a view to identifying the causes and effective solutions. It should also redouble its efforts to provide the police with adequate training and awareness-raising programmes to counter prejudice and stereotypes, and regularly assess their impact and effectiveness. Human trafficking 46. While noting the positive steps taken by the State party, including the study conducted by the Dutch National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence against Children and the provision of training courses on identifying the signs of trafficking, for officials of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, the Committee is concerned about the large number of registered child victims of trafficking (2,014 between 2014 and 2015) and the reportedly higher number of unregistered victims. While noting several campaigns on awareness of labour and sex exploitation, it remains concerned about reports of the low level of awareness among public officials and other professionals, including medical personnel, who may be in contact with victims of trafficking (arts. 2, 12, 14 and 16). 47. The State party should intensify its efforts to: (a) Prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, especially trafficking of children; (b) Enhance the training programmes for the police, prosecutors and judges on effective prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of acts of 11