Magic skates for the Brussels police

Magic skates for the Brussels police Thirteen officers on wheels to supervise the Roller Parade BRUSSELS - The final training session was scheduled for this Friday morning. The officers warmed up in civilian clothes just before the media arrived. Then, the brand-new brigade of roller-skating police officers in uniform from the Brussels-Capital-Ixelles zone made their entrance in single file into Hall 3 of the Heysel Exhibition Center, their secret training base for the past month. A bit stressed, the roller-skating police performed a few inline skating mastery exercises under the camera flashes, coming through with flying colors. The first mission for these 13 all-volunteer officers: supervising the participants of the Brussels Roller Parade every Friday of the summer. To do this, they learned to zigzag between cones, jump over a prone man, skate in a group, go down stairs, run, and above all... to brake and stop without crashing. As we previously announced in earlier editions, the city of Brussels will indeed host roller-skating enthusiasts every Friday evening from July 5 to August 30 for a vast promenade along its main arteries, except in case of rain, as it is well known that moisture and wheels do not mix well. This initiative has already been practiced for some time in London and Paris. "Roland Vanreusel, our zone chief, and I were invited by the police prefect of the City of Light to discover this Pari Roller experience," explains the mayor of Brussels, Freddy Thielemans. "In Paris, several times a week, thousands of people set off in a group on skates through the boulevards, supervised by roller-skating law enforcement. At first, we didn't imagine being able to adapt this type of promenade to Brussels, but given the pressing demand from associations and even families, we are organizing this convivial event and supervising it with police officers." A call for candidates was thus launched within the zone's police forces. Thirteen volunteers, including four women and among them a former female gendarme, came forward and were able to train, supervised by the inline pros from Brussels Rollers. Initially, the zone chief does not imagine creating official roller-skating patrols. "I see specific tasks for these officers instead. They will already control the perimeter during the car-free day on September 22, and they will also accompany the runners of the Brussels 20 km. Similarly, they will be present on weekends at the Bois de la Cambre for tasks reminiscent of patrolling." Afterwards, the experience will be evaluated, and if it proves conclusive, we might perhaps see "Rollercops" patrolling like in the streets of New York in the future... While their primary task is supervision, the officers on wheels remain, however, very much police officers. Commissioner De Coninck: "If they witness a bag snatching or an assault, they have full latitude to intervene..." The Rollercops' equipment BRUSSELS - Axel, Sandra, Bruno, Christine, Koen, and the others did not hesitate when they saw the announcement. These young, athletic police officers, visibly in excellent physical condition, signed up: "We were taught the technique and followed five two-hour training sessions. But we still need to practice," explains Sabrina Plas, an inspector at the 2nd division Grand-Place. "I already patrol by bicycle for the 8th," in Laeken, adds Bruno. "I took on the roller-skating challenge because sport is my thing. However, I don't believe a permanent brigade is ideal. Skates are perfect in the Kinepolis area or on major roads with smooth asphalt, but on the cobblestones of the city center? For me, the future is more about mountain biking." Currently, the officers do not yet have a specific uniform. They wore their riot gear, wear helmets, elbow pads, knee pads, and one-piece skates. "But we could consider detachable skates to be fixed onto shoes. In case of an intervention on foot, the officers could remove them in a heartbeat and slip them into their backpacks," the mayor imagines. "For me, it's the fast and ideal solution for acting in pedestrian streets, for example." For the moment, the police on skates are not armed; they simply have a radio and pepper spray. "But," Sabrina reassures, "in case of a problem during the parade, we call by radio and all our colleagues arrive." "A promenade, not a race!" BRUSSELS - The new Roller Brigade will supervise the participants in the Brussels Roller Parade. This parade, which, let us remember, is scheduled for every Friday evening of the summer starting July 5, is aimed at all skaters who know how to control their speed and brake. It is therefore not open to beginners. Participation is free "but involves respecting a charter. This is indeed a promenade and not a race. Racers will be excluded from the group by the police or the organization," specifies zone chief Roland Vanreusel. The skaters will therefore be supervised by the Rollercops mentioned elsewhere. The latter will lead the procession and bring up the rear to pick up tired skaters. The Roller Brigade will also be assisted by police officers on motorcycles and bicycles who will close off intersections during the group's passage. This should not exceed 5 minutes. The coordination of the weekly event and its sponsorship have been entrusted to Carl de Moncharline (the boss of Who's Who's Land nightclub is indeed a skating king) and John Jeanquart. They are behind a very beautiful route covering both the territories of Brussels and Ixelles. Participants are invited to meet, except in case of rain, on Fridays at 8:00 PM at Place Poelaert for a snack before departure. Then, after an equipment check, the procession starts at 9:00 PM via Rue des Quatre Bras, Place Louise, Place Stéphanie, Avenue Louise, small streets in the Châtelain district before taking the tunnels, the Bois de la Cambre, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, the Ixelles Cemetery, Boulevard Général Jacques, back to Avenue Louise, Avenue de la Toison d'Or, and Porte de Namur. Rest and refreshments at Place Poelaert around 10:00 PM, before resuming the promenade toward the Saint-Géry halls district, passing through Place Royale, Botanique, and the main boulevards of the Center. A "broom bus" will pick up exhausted skaters and bring them back safely. No doubt they will have well deserved it... Photo caption: The success of the Brussels police on skates might perhaps give ideas to other police forces so that they too can enjoy the joys of roller-skating.