Belgian cops ask for Dutch help in dealing with Dutch young people partying in Knokke

This year, Dutch police officers will help their Belgian colleagues tackle the nuisance caused by partying young people in the Flemish coastal town of Knokke every summer. Dutch and Belgian cops will patrol together, among other things, NU.nl reports.

Many young people from the Netherlands travel to the entertainment district of Knokke during the summer holidays. “In recent years, this target group has caused a lot of nuisance,” Chief Steve Desmet of the Damme/Knokke-Heist police said. Collaboration with the Dutch authorities has proven successful in the past, and he hopes that will be the case again.

A Dutch police bicycle team will patrol the entertainment area at night. Dutch cops on horseback will also patrol for several nights in a mixed patrol with Belgian police officers. According to Desmet, the mounted police officers are “easily approachable, clearly visible, and extremely suitable for preventive supervision at locations like the beach, dunes, and cycling and walking paths.”

Teaming up Dutch and Belgian officers on patrol also helps in faster identification because Dutch cops have access to the Dutch databases. “We also notice that Dutch young people are more likely to enter into dialogue with a Dutch officer, because of the recognizability of the police uniform,” Desmet said.