Mayors start "Vlaardingen talks" after wave of explosions

Mayors of municipalities that fall under the police unit of Rotterdam have started exchanging experiences about the increase in excessive violence and the many explosions in the region, says the city of Rotterdam. It is an initiative from Vlaardingen mayor Bert Wijbenga. Participants of the so-called "Vlaardingen talks" will meet regularly for the time being.

Polite chief Fred Westerbeke and head officer of the public prosecution service Hugo Hillenaar were also present in Rotterdam. There has been talk about the "enormous efforts" of the police and the Public Prosecution Service.

Those efforts have led to 180 arrests of suspects this year and 45 people sentenced to jail sentences of 1 to 3 years. More than 60 suspects are still waiting for the results of their case. Hillenaar affirms that the punishments are harsh and that "boys who let themselves be tempted are throwing their futures away."

The mayors have asked Westerbeke to come up with unorthodox working methods to contribute to a higher sense of civilian safety. What these measures will be has not been announced yet. The mayors will discuss the plans together and see if they work and are enough. "So that we can stop the violence and bring peace back to our neighborhoods," said one of the people involved.

There have been seven explosions in Vlaardingen this year, and it is suspected that one person, a plumber, was the target.