Mounted police to patrol Belgium’s beaches

From 15 June to 15 September, a team of mounted and maritime police will be conducting security controls along Flemish beaches, announced West Flanders police governor Carl Decaluwé on Tuesday.

Last year a pilot project, organized at the request of the provincial governor, took place on West Flanders’ beaches. In six days, the horse patrols carried out some 30 interventions. Lifeguards supported the action and the project was hailed as “a great success”.

The mounted and maritime police will be deployed again this year, except this time the horse patrols will no longer be limited to West Flanders but will be carried out along the entire Belgian coast instead.

The teams, which include two horses with riders, will patrol the dunes on the beach and coastal neighbourhoods.