Northern Netherlands – With the theme ‘Connection means staying in motion’, Martin Sitalsing was installed as the new police chief of the Northern Netherlands unit on Wednesday afternoon, 31 May.
Challenges
Various speakers took the floor during the festive installation in DOT in Groningen. In the presence of Martin’s family, colleagues and chain partners – more than 150 guests in total – video messages sketched an impressive picture of the challenges and issues that exist in the Northern Netherlands. Martin was warmly welcomed in speeches by chief of police Henk van Essen and acting chief of police Joop de Schepper, among others.
Martin’s vision on tackling undermining was also quoted by the Chief of Police: “Undermining is becoming an increasingly serious problem. Martin himself aptly called it the ‘system that is destroying our society’. Martin rightly indicated that sometimes hard intervention is needed, but that much more often earlier intervention is needed.”
Joop de Schepper pointed out that it is essential that the police – also in the Northern Netherlands – keep moving: “Criminals have also discovered this area as fertile ground for subversion, cybercrime and the recruitment of vulnerable young people. We are far beyond the naivety that this kind of activity would not take place in the relatively quiet north.” He concluded with a look to the future: “We will continue to move with you at the helm, because no one wants to lose connection.”
‘I belong here’
Martin gained a large part of his (police) experience in the north and indicated in his closing words that he was happy to be back in the north of the Netherlands: “I belong here. I look forward to tackling the challenges in the Northern Netherlands together with all my colleagues and all our chain partners.”
Information source: Politie.nl
