Maesteg Police Impress Dutch Counterparts
South Wales Police had a visit from foreign shores on Wednesday April 15th, when two Dutch Police Constables travelled from West Holland to gain an insight into the blues and twos of Welsh neighbourhood policing.
PC Iris Reijm and PC Lisette Hoogeweef from the Kennemerland Police Force of West Holland visited the Maesteg sector with Superintendent David I’Anson, International Policing Advisor for the NPIA (National Policing Improvement Agency) and Karen Smith, International Development and Projects Officer, to observe neighbourhood policing as part of the Dutch police training process.
Led by Maesteg Sergeant Chris Truscott and Caerau PCSOs Rachael Bargery and Tom Davies, the team discussed the role of Police Community Support Officers, the delegation of tasks to neighbourhood teams and response teams, shift patterns, the decisions around officers patrolling alone or in pairs, and equipment.
PC Lisette Hoogeweef said: “In Kennemerland Police, the community officer for each area is a police officer of sergeant rank. They are usually very experienced officers with many years in service who have built up relations with the community whilst in employment. The way South Wales Police have so many officers working on different levels in the community works really well.”
Later in the day, the visitors were shown the Duffryn Flats project, where PCSOs Rachael Bargery and Karl Smith worked with Crime Prevention Officer Gwyn Batten and Valleys 2 Coast to organise the build of a wall and garage door. The building work now prevents groups of youths behaving antisocially in the walkway that formerly ran underneath the building, improving the lives of the residents.
Iris said: “During our training we have to do a community project that focuses on reducing crime through community relations. Seeing PCSO Bargery and PCSO Smith’s work to reduce antisocial behaviour has been really inspiring.”
In Holland, training police officers are required to visit another European country to observe their policing style as part of the development process. Staying at the NPIA International Academy in Hampshire, the Dutch officers, Superintendent I’Anson and Karen Smith selected the Bridgend division of South Wales Police specifically as their study area for neighbourhood policing.
Maesteg Police Sergeant Chris Truscott said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure having Lisette and Iris visit us today. It’s really satisfying to hear our international counterparts are so impressed with the way our Neighbourhood Policing Teams operate to solve community problems here in Bridgend borough.”
Superintendent I’Anson said: “We would like to thank South Wales Police for accommodating the visit. We were really impressed by the dedication of Sgt. Truscott and his neighbourhood team to improve community safety and the environment within their area, and saw first hand the ‘real changes’ being made. Iris and Lisette really benefited from the experience.”