Memorial in the Garden of Reflection

Today, the annual memorial service for Dutch police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty was held. This year’s ceremony was attended by ninety students of the Netherlands Police Academy in Drachten. The Garden of Reflection (Tuin van Bezinning) is located at Huis ’t Velde in Warnsveld.

The garden is intended as a tribute to the officers killed in the line of duty. The Garden of Reflection is a place for peace, reflection, and contemplation of the fundamental values of policing. And for awareness of the far-reaching consequences the profession may have. It is not just about commemorating, but also about jointly reflecting on the tough side of the police profession.

Name of Ferry Bakx added

Today, the name of Ferry Bakx was added to the Garden of Reflection. The Dutch police officer emigrated to Bonaire, where he started work with the police force on the island. He had worked there for three years when he was shot by robbers in August 2016.

Students of Drachten location form guard of honour

During the annual memorial ceremony, it is tradition for students of the Netherlands Police Academy to form a guard of honour. This year, students of the location in Drachten were allowed to fulfil this role. “It’s an honour to be chosen to do this,” said Bryan, one of the police students present. “One of my fellow students, who has a military background, practiced the foot drill with us a number of times. How to walk, what the commands are. We all came to the Netherlands Police Academy several times especially for that purpose. At that time, the true impact of the ceremony did not yet hit home.

But when we were at the memorial service today and the ceremony started and the orchestra started to play, it was very impressive.”

Dawning awareness

The students formed a large circle around the ceremony site. Bryan: “We stood at attention opposite the entrance and saw the guests coming towards us. Family, friends, children carrying flowers. All of them had lost someone, maybe even their dad. We saw people get emotional. That was moving. At that time, it also dawned on us what this profession could entail, which took us aback for a moment/which was as a sobering thought.

In her speech, Janny Knol, Commissioner of the Netherlands Police, mentioned the presence of the students. She said that on a day like this you could feel that the police are one big family. I liked that.”

Special occasion for students

“Remembering colleagues who have fallen isn’t something you consciously do during your training,” says Bryan. “This is an additional reason why participating in the memorial service is a very special occasion for students.

I would recommend all students to visit the Garden of Reflection at least once. Or at least try and find out more about the reasons it exists. And if you ever have the chance to participate in the memorial service, don’t hesitate and grab it. Definitely.”