Starting 3/6, the rollerparade is back Officers on wheels

02/INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK text Ellie Maerevoet image Arnaud De Cremer STARTING 3/6, THE ROLLERPARADE IS BACK OFFICERS ON WHEELS Skateboarders come in all shapes and sizes: small, large, fat, thin, mothers, daughters, grandfathers... And you also find them in police uniform. 'Rollercop' Sabrina Plas and her team will be ready again every Friday evening from this week onwards to guide the festive Rollerparade safely. Rollercop sounds a bit like Robocop... Sabrina Plas: 'I don't know who came up with that name. I think the media gave us that name. I prefer to call myself a 'roller at the police'. But I don't think 'rollercop' is a bad word, mind you.' How many of you are there? 'The roller team consists of 14 officers. We are all in different departments. I am actually an officer at the police station on Korenmarkt. During my normal shifts, I do foot and car patrols. Only when there is something special to do, like the roller event in Ter Kamerenbos or the Rollerparades, are we called away from our normal duties to form the roller squad. Except in Ter Kamerenbos, we do not patrol on roller skates. That is also not possible in Brussels. Especially in the city center, more and more streets are paved with cobblestones. Moreover, the sidewalks are not wide enough. Unfortunately, it's not Paris here. There, officers skate 7 days a week.' Did you receive special training? 'When our team started in 2002, we received 2 times 8 hours of training. We really started from scratch. Two trainers taught us the most important techniques: braking, turning, jumping... Since then, we haven't received any more training and therefore remain a bit at the same level. We do practice outside our shifts, of course, but we would like to have some more lessons. People expect that from us too. The 'staffers', who supervise the Rollerparade, get better and better at skating every year because they receive extra lessons. We have also been working with rollers for 4 years, but our level remains the same. That's a shame.' Did you regularly rollerblade before you became a rollercop? 'Not really. When I was 8, my parents did give me a pair of roller skates. After that, I didn't skate for years. Until 2002. Just before the police started the roller team, I bought a new pair. So I could already roller skate when we started those trainings, but I couldn't turn or slalom yet. The real passion for rollerblading only came when I was already on the police's roller team. And believe me: you really have to love doing this if you want to work as a roller officer.' BIKE THIEVES What if a thief strikes during the Rollerparade? Do you chase them on roller skates? 'Our primary task during such a Rollerparade is to ensure that everything runs smoothly. We cordon off streets, stop cars, and make sure that injured people get to the ambulance as quickly as possible. If incidents do happen during the parade, we call for a patrol. It's not really our intention to apprehend criminals on roller skates. Once we managed to catch a bike thief. That was during the car-free Sunday. On that day, many bikes are always stolen, and we keep an extra eye out. We saw a bike thief in action, chased him on our rollerblades, and managed to catch him. But it's not like I put on my roller skates and think: 'now I'm going to catch some thieves'. We're not that naive. Moreover, our job as rollers is totally different from regular police work. You also have different contact with the public. It's much more relaxed and enjoyable. People think you're 'cool' when you're wearing roller skates. During a normal patrol in a car, people don't dare bother you for a chat, but on roller skates, you can. The boundary between a rollercop and the public is smaller. As an officer on patrol, you often truly don't have time for a friendly chat. Then you're looking for criminals, so to speak. As a roller officer, the intention is precisely to make contact with the public, to convey a positive image of the police.' Do you sometimes feel like a party pooper during the Rollerparade? You are, after all, a strict officer in uniform? 'Strict during a Rollerparade? Well, motorists aren't always happy with the parade, of course. They are sometimes held up for up to 20 minutes on a Friday evening. You have drivers who take it very calmly and honk along. That's not really allowed, but I won't make a big deal about it at that moment. And of course, there are also annoying people who want to quickly slip through a barrier. At that moment, I naturally act strictly. But for the rest, I also party a little bit. I like to do that, you know. But I don't constantly play the clown, that's true. I remain an officer first and foremost.' FALLING AND GETTING UP How old are you now? '31 years old.' How long do you see yourself doing this job? 'As long as it exists. The oldest officer in our team is 50. There's no age limit for rollerblading. You see that during the Rollerparades too. You see children of 4, people in their forties, people of 60. Even entire families or mothers pushing strollers. It's a fun family outing, a nice sport for everyone, not too hard on the knees. I've even seen a 70-year-old woman roller skating. She had tied cushions all around her body to break her fall. Because if you're a bit older, you naturally run a higher risk of fractures if you fall.' How many times have you fallen? 'When we took that course, our trainers said: 'the more you fall, the better'. Because you must absolutely not be afraid to fall. So yes, I have fallen a few times. But I haven't broken any bones yet. It's part of it. Most of the falls I've experienced during the Rollerparade happened when I wanted to help beginners. Some people already participate in the Rollerparade even though they can't even brake. And that is a requirement. On a descent, you try to help those people as best you can, but if they fall, they naturally drag you along. It does create a bond, falling together. Those people never forget you (laughs).' Do many falls happen during the Rollerparades? 'Not really. Most injuries are to people who don't wear protective gear. We've had to take participants away with serious head injuries. I still see too many children who don't wear helmets while roller skating. The head is really the most important thing. Recently, a colleague of mine fell on his head. He had his helmet on. Fortunately, because it was completely broken, torn.' Would you refuse someone who doesn't wear protection to participate in the Rollerparade? 'If we see that someone really can't brake or if the gap between the beginning and the end of the parade becomes too big because some people can't keep up, we put the stragglers on the bus that drives at the back of the parade during descents. These people often don't like that because they are then confronted with their limitations. But we cannot possibly deal with all beginners. I then tell them: 'next time will be better. First learn to brake and then you can join again next week.' THROWING CANDIES! What's so fun about roller skating in a group? 'You all share a common passion. Compare it to a cycling club. And roller skating in a big city is even more fun. Don't forget that for 4 months, every Friday evening, the streets are closed for rollers. That in itself is worth a party, because during the week you can hardly roller skate in a big city due to traffic jams. It's not allowed on the sidewalk and motorists pay little attention to roller skaters. But that can only improve because more and more rollers are joining. More and more people are risking going to work on roller skates. I do it myself regularly in the summer. I live about 25 km from Brussels. I then wear full protection and a fluorescent vest. Motorists will have to get used to it. It's just like with cycling. You have to push yourself a bit, but in a safe way.' Are you never bothered during the Rollerparade by angry residents or motorists? I'm thinking of thumbtacks on the road like at the Gordel? 'No, that has never happened to us. The organizers also try to involve the neighborhoods through which the Rollerparade passes as much as possible in the event. If we pass through the Matonge district, for example, African music is played. In the Anneessens district, it's Arabic music. People along the side of the road are thus invited to dance along. The only thing we have encountered on our way is candies that residents throw at us. And we find that very pleasant, of course (laughs).' BEST OF BXL FAVORITE CAFÉ: All cafés around Goriksplein. FAVORITE RESTAURANT: Food Factory (Anspachlaan). FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD: The area around Grasmarkt and Agoraplein. I like a lot of activity, a lot of tourists, especially American ones. FAVORITE STORE: Galeria Inno, I can walk around there for hours. I find everything there too. THE ROUTE The Rollerparade always starts at Poelaertplein and takes a different route of approximately 20 kilometers each week. The festive procession passes through nightlife districts such as Sint-Gery, Sint-Boniface, and Châtelain, and through the popular neighborhoods of Matonge and Anneessens. The program also includes the green lung of Ter Kamerenbos, the tunnels of the small ring road, and the wide avenues around the Atomium in Laeken. Around midnight, the parade is disbanded at Poelaertplein. The Belgium Rollers Summer Tour starts on Friday evening 3/6. Roller skaters gather from 7 PM at Poelaertplein. The roller parade starts at 8 PM. The event takes place every Friday evening until and including 30/9 and is completely free. In case of rain, the parade is canceled. Those who are not yet proficient in roller skating can take lessons every Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 11 AM to 5 PM at the Gespanhoek in Ter Kamerenbos. More info at www.belgiumrollers.com or www.rouliroula.com