Crime is no longer happening under the radar. Almost 80% of young adults have been offered drugs at some point. In rural areas, 7 out of 10 agricultural entrepreneurs are aware of criminal misuse of locations, but only 11% report it. Brabant Op De Radar aims to change this: more than 20 (government) partners are joining forces in a joint communication approach. Brabant Op De Radar helps residents and professionals to recognize, discuss, and act on signals. Join us. Because only together can we truly reduce organized crime.
Crime is no longer taking place in an invisible underworld. More and more, families, entrepreneurs, and young people are directly affected. Police and professionals warn of the growing impact of the misuse of vacant buildings and drug waste dumping in nature. Young people are also a vulnerable group that can easily be influenced by criminals, for example, by tempting them with small jobs like delivering packages. Meanwhile, many people wonder whether they should report what they see. Is it serious enough? Is what I suspect correct? And where should I go?
From Awareness to Action
Brabant Op De Radar helps to lower those barriers. The initiative is a continuation of the successful television series Brabant Onder De Radar from 2022, and now takes the next step: from awareness to action. At the initiative of the Province of North Brabant, more than 20 (government) partners such as the police, RIEC Oost-Brabant and RIEC Zeeland West-Brabant, the Public Prosecution Service, ZLTO, Platform Veilig Ondernemen, Avans University of Applied Sciences, and the municipalities of Brabant are joining forces.
“Brabant Op De Radar shows that we can tackle organized crime together,” says Wilma Dirken, Deputy for Safety of the Province of North Brabant. “Crime occurs in our villages, neighborhoods, and homes. That’s why it is so important that residents, parents, and professionals recognize and share signals, as many are already doing today. Join us. Look again, do you see something suspicious? Discuss it. This way we make Brabant stronger and safer.”
Put Brabant on the Radar
Starting October 21, Brabant Op De Radar will officially launch during the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven, with a striking and interactive installation: the Reporting Game. Visitors are challenged to recognize signals and practice difficult choices. After the launch, the Reporting Game will travel further through Brabant.
More Information
On the website brabantopderadar.nl (refers to another website) you will find various tools to recognize, discuss, and take action on signals of organized crime. There is also a reporting guide that clearly shows where you can go if you are unsure about a situation or do not know who to report something to.
For parents, there is a series of video stories with recognizable and honest insights from other parents, a youth worker, and an expert, aimed at supporting them with signals of criminal temptation.
There is also a podcast in which professionals and stakeholders openly discuss difficult choices that often cause stomach aches. Specifically for the rural area, a campaign will be rolled out where 12,000 egg cartons will be distributed with signals of undermining and information on how to report.
