Honor guard at former police chief Gerard Bouman's funeral

Former National Police Chief Gerard Bouman was buried in Rotterdam on Tuesday. Hundreds of police officers formed an honor guard along the route Bouman's coffin was taken, NOS reports.

Bouman died last week at the age of 64 from the consequences of a heart attack.

Not only police officers attended the former police chief's funeral. There were also a number of employees from the Ministry of Security and Justice, the Public Prosecution Office and intelligence service AIVD. The attendees include Minster Ronald Plasterk, former Ministers Ard van der Steur and Ivo Opstelten, Amsterdam mayor Eberhard van der Laan, head of the AIVD Rob Bertholee and Commander of the Armed Forces Tom Middendorp.

Gerard Bouman was the first chief of the National Police. Under his leadership the 26 regional police forces in the Netherlands were merged into a single, national corps. Bouman stepped down last year amidst criticism about the reorganization of the police. He was succeeded by Erik Akerboom.