Limmen bids farewell to local police officer with floral artwork after 47 years of service

For nearly fifty years he was closely associated with the North Holland bulb town of Limmen, but now it’s over for local police officer Pim van der Maas; he is retiring after just 47 years.

“I think, although that might be a bit arrogant, I managed to do something for people here and there,” said Van der Maas at NH. The residents of the town welcome him with floral artwork.

Van der Maas started his career at the police training school. After that, he always felt at home as a police officer, and later as a local police officer, in Limmen. “When I first started my job with the police, Limmen still had a police station,” he said. “There were six of us there at the time. These officers were assigned to Limmen. So you were already some kind of local police officer.”

Limmen has not had its own police station for a long time and the station in nearby Heiloo is also closed. “Today everything is organized from the office in Castricum.” said Van der Maas. “The police always say they are at the heart of society, but that is becoming less and less.”

Fortunately, he still has a connection with society, said the police officer. “I have a unique situation. When you work in the same community for so long, it’s normal that people know you and vice versa. It’s good that a connection like this has emerged from here,” said Van der Maas. “I always think: I am a police officer, but in my private life I am no different than during my work. Be yourself, or you will be exposed.

“People came up to me regularly later saying they were so happy with what I had done. I love it when a criminal is caught as a result of my investigation foot. These are very successful,” he said.

At the same time, Van der Maas saw crime changing and to some extent moving to fraud through the Internet. “You can’t think of anything crazy. It’s more secret, because the criminals don’t have to show themselves,” he explains.

As a result, the area of ​​work of the local police officer is increasingly moving to information: “It is our duty to make people more alert about online scams.”

The succession of Van der Maas has been arranged, so that he can gradually remove his work. But his town will miss him; During the annual Flower Days, a cutting crew had photographed it. The police thought that was a good suggestion. “It’s kind of a sign that you did your job well.”