It won’t be long before police officers ‘on foot’ will be equipped with walkie-talkies. They must also be able to stay in touch with the message center at all times, which promotes efficient working. The Utrechtsch Nieuwsblad reported this on Wednesday, May 6, 1964.
The number of mobile telephone installations will also be expanded. Today’s times require fast communication. This was said this morning by the chief commissioner of police in Utrecht, Mr HW Offers, on the occasion of the annual pensioners’ day, a day on which retired police officers are guests at the police headquarters for a day. Mr Offers told us some things about the changes that are taking place within the force.
For example, he said it was fortunate that district police officers had been appointed in some neighborhoods last year. There are now 9, he said, because one was recently appointed in Overvecht. These district police officers have the task of maintaining contacts with the public in a helpful and pleasant manner, according to the chief commissioner, and it has already become apparent that the public highly appreciates their manner of acting.
Mr. Offers further announced that Utrecht will soon only have four police stations. The main office at the Paardenveld will be expanded with a wing. There will be two new offices, one on Kanaleneiland, for which the tender has already taken place, and one in Overvecht. The Tolsteeg agency will remain, the other agencies will disappear over time. We will have offices at strategic locations in the city, says Mr Offers.
Nowadays a police station has a different function than in the past, the chief constable continued. In the past, an office was a support point in a neighborhood, especially since communication was quite difficult. Nowadays, when almost everyone has a telephone and we have mobile radio systems, we can be anywhere quickly.
Speaking about the staff shortage, Mr Offers said that the number of vacancies is still 54, but that there are now 32 people in training at the school in Wassenaar. Among them are 15 minors. The first three of the last group will start work on July 1, each under the supervision of a mentor. They will only fulfill police duties independently once they have completed their military service. Mr Offers thought crime in Utrecht was not too bad. This may be due to the targeted information, he said.
The Utrecht police’s senior citizens’ day was established three years ago. It used to be that mutual contact was generally lost after retirement. Mr Offers called the initiative a bull’s-eye. You feel the atmosphere of the force again, he said, and no longer have the feeling that you have been pushed aside.
Today the retirees are welcomed on a bus ride through the new neighborhoods. The afternoon is spent playing cards, checkers and chess, for which prizes have been made available. Among the retirees are men who have been enjoying their pension for more than 20 years.
