Police 'secrets' almost entirely revealed

OPEN HOUSE BRUSSELS/IXELLES POLICE STATION Police 'secrets' almost entirely revealed The sun was out, but there were fewer curious visitors than expected. A shame. Because they probably speak best about it, the police officers of the Brussels Capital Ixelles zone opened the doors of their stations this Saturday to the public. The particularly numerous activities, however, did not attract crowds, the weekend program already being quite busy. It was indeed difficult to choose between the Jazz Marathon, free for the first time, Evere ma découverte, or the annual opening of Tervueren Avenue. Whatever the case, the zone's police officers were very much present to welcome you and answer your questions: shooting range, dog brigade, traffic, techno-prevention services, children's traffic park, skills course, exhibitions and information on the profession in one of the three police stations in Laeken, Brussels-city, and Ixelles. On Rue des Palais, it was the motorcyclists who caused a sensation, balancing on their machines, performing figures, slaloming between tires, or forming a pyramid, under the impressed gaze of the youngest and even the older spectators. On the 2nd floor of the police station, there was an exhibition of uniforms, archive photos from 1956, Morse code devices, an '80s telephone switchboard, a 1962 model police bicycle next to a slightly more flashy current bike, and finally a notice from 1914 inviting motorists to respect the maximum speed limit in urban areas of 15 km/hour! "We have been organizing open days since 1999 and it's very positive," explains Danielle Kumps, police commissioner for the zone. "We show them what they most often dread, like breathalyzers, speed cameras (see box), or the roller-cops unit, and they take the time to listen to our explanations." Not being afraid to enter a police station and, why not, embarking on the profession, was also one of the operation's objectives. Alongside a display case presenting the commissioner's private collection, three shelves of small figurines, miniature police officers from all countries, Principal Inspector Christian Temmerman took the opportunity to bring out about a hundred helmets and caps from a personal collection rich with some 730 pieces displayed in his attic! A total of 168 countries represented: Namibia, Taiwan, Brazil, Switzerland, England, Australia, or Zaire. "That one comes from the owner, "that's where they were made." Surprising. After the motorcyclists' demonstration, it was the roller-cops, equipped with helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads, who took action. Four women, 10 men, all "volunteers, sporty, and highly motivated," specifies Sandra, from the foot patrol. "After about ten hours of training, we are able to take care of securing the Bois de la Cambre during weekends and supervising the Rollerparade every Friday, from June 4th and throughout the summer" (starting at 8 PM Place Poelaert). And she continued: "During the week, we are assigned to other divisions. The atmosphere is excellent, we just did the Liedekerke-Bruges route with colleagues." Late in the afternoon, little Julien, who came with his dad, left proud of having escaped the handcuffs, without even needing the keys. As for 10-year-old Servet, he is sure now, when he grows up, he will be a police officer. [Photo Captions] Featured on Rue des Palais, the acrobatic police motorcyclists from Brussels. □ V. FROMONT DEMONSTRATION AT THE SHOOTING RANGE Speed cameras, a delicate subject that the police wanted to clarify. □ V.FROMONT Handcuffing a child, just for show. □ V.FROMONT [Focus] ROAD SAFETY 20,000 traffic tickets per year for speeding