Only certified neighborhood advocates active in Ede throughout the Netherlands

May 12, 2024 at 2:52 pm

social

Eddie Last Saturday, ten Eden residents from the Neighborhood Prevention Team (BPT) in Ede were the first in the Netherlands to receive the “Bio Prevention” certification. During the training, the team's volunteers dealt with cases where people were spoken to, practiced calming down and improved legal knowledge. Mayor Verhulst presented the certificates.

during Ted Walker

“The unique thing is that these ten members are not only the first in Ede, they are also the first certified prevention specialists in the whole of the Netherlands, and therefore the only ones,” says Marco Gerritsen, founder of BPT in Ede. Gerritsen started the initiative in 2013 when there was a high number of robberies in the Maandereng area. The team now includes sixteen people, some of whom are active on the street and some of whom work behind the scenes. Not only are the volunteers doing their work in Mandering, but the team has taken the field to many other neighborhoods and shopping centres.

monitoring

“We patrol these neighborhoods with our own vehicles, which can be recognized as BPT vehicles. In addition, we have close contact with various local police officers and participate in various WhatsApp groups,” Marco explains and continues: “In this way we contribute to the preservation of the neighborhoods that We are there and keep it safe and livable. Successes such as catching a bike thief in the act and helping shop owners catch shoplifters. We were watching the bike thief from a distance, and after an hour and a half he was behind the door of the police station. You can imagine that the police “She doesn't have the ability to post for an hour and a half and potentially nothing will happen.”

Establishment

Eighteen months ago, the Comprehensive Peace Treaty became the basis for practical reasons. “The main reason for this change is to cover costs,” explains Gerritsen. “We are of course a voluntary organisation. Obviously this means that no one gets paid for the hours they work. But there are costs that arise, such as buying clothes and light bulbs, but refueling private cars also costs money. We get a subsidy from the municipality to cover These costs and in this regard, the creation of the foundation was the basis for the further development of the organization and with the certification of ten volunteers, we are now taking the next step, of which I am very proud,” concludes Marco Gerritsen.

If you are interested in the prevention team in the Ede district, you can send an email to: [email protected].