“A service that you only experience once a year. The day when the Netherlands celebrates and turns orange. Kings Day 2025 in Doetinchem.”
“During Kings Day, we were deployed as a team to proactively monitor, identify risks, and quickly respond to potential threats. In this story, we share our experiences from that day – from the heart of the operation.”
Early Start
“While the Netherlands is still asleep, we are already beside our beds. The alarm clock signals the start of an intensive but special day. We brace ourselves for a day full of spotting and, not unimportantly, a lot of festivities. At 04:00 in the morning, we leave with our team towards our meeting point, the sports hall.”
Briefing and Preparation
“The sports hall is set up as a gathering location for all operational disciplines of the police. Think of colleagues in surveillance, the Security Unit, the Monitoring and Securing Team, the commanders, and the head of Monitoring and Securing. In the hall, a washing area has been created where our operational uniforms are checked against the regulations we received beforehand. Everything in terms of ICT is also reviewed. After the washing area, we move on to the highlight of this early morning; breakfast. Everyone is provided with coffee, tea, sandwiches, and a piece of fruit. Its well organized.”
“At 05:30, the operational briefing begins. During this briefing, safety risks and operational details are discussed. All attendees are divided into groups, and everyone knows their task. The units are divided into a ring system. The Monitoring and Securing Team takes position in ring 2. The briefing is sharp and to-the-point. After the briefing, the buses are already waiting for us. We are transported to the place where it will all happen, the beautiful center of Doetinchem.”
Reconnaissance and Positioning on Location
“Upon arrival, around half past six, the calm still hangs over the center. The first die-hard orange fans are already ready in their folding chairs along the placed fences. The present press finds it quite nice and they dive into the fans for the first street interviews. At this moment, we walk our part of the route and receive our positions from the sector commander within the fences. From ring 2, we look outside, into the crowd, scanning for unusual situations and behavior of individuals. When we are ready on the route, the Explosive Reconnaissance Team conducts a bomb check. The Royal Diplomatic Security Service also surveys the area and preliminary agreements are made for when the procession passes by. The sector head of the district and the mayor also surprise us when they come to check if everything is running smoothly and wish us good luck.”
“After we are positioned along the route, our work begins. The entire environment is scanned. We observe surrounding buildings, the route for weak and blind spots, and the setup of all equipment for the press. We also check individuals coming onto the route. Everyone without an access wristband is quickly checked and removed from the ring.
We ensure that the route remains safe and clear. We are visibly present and sharp on every detail.”
Coordination with Chain Partners
“At around 11:00, we briefly coordinate with the explosive reconnaissance teams, local security, and the DKDB. The different layers of security must seamlessly connect with each other. Here we again notice how important our role within the larger whole is – every link counts!”
The Procession and the Celebration
“At half past twelve in the afternoon, the party begins. Accompanied by roaring mopeds and crossers, thick clouds of smoke, and the smell of Castrol, the tour bus with the royal family arrives. At the moment the family disembarks, Normaal starts playing, and Oerend Hard blasts loudly through the speakers. The crowd goes wild. Young, old, it doesnt matter, everyone jumps up and down and sings along at the top of their lungs. This moment requires a lot of energy from us. We have to keep an eye on the crowd while moving through the dancing throng – looking for any form of unusual behavior. Even when the king walks past you and shakes hands with everyone, or when a prince accidentally steps on your foot and bumps into you, we keep scanning the crowd and the environment. We monitor bags, open windows, and individuals who isolate themselves from the crowd. Nobody escapes our notice. Every deviation is reported to our commander. And the commander passes it on to the colleagues outside the fences, who act on it. We also work together with the DKDB in this area and complement each other as needed.”
“After the royal family has walked past our section of the route, our work does not stop. We continue to scan the environment, stopping people who still want to cross. The route must remain clear. Here and there, an (informative) chat can be held with the public; after all, you are the business card of the police at that moment.”
“After standing for eight hours, whether in full sun or not, you start to feel it. And not just us; you can also see it in the crowd. Residents wanting to go home who still cannot cross. Those they take it out on are us, of course, and its important to remain de-escalating. Besides these reactions, we fortunately also received many compliments. We were thanked for our efforts. The public feels safe, and the astonishment that we came all the way from the The Hague Unit to keep things safe in Doetinchem is enormous.”
“Around three oclock, we receive the signal that the barriers are being lifted. At this moment, we can let everything go. We walk back together to our support point and then head back to the buses to the sports hall. Here we are treated to a delicious beschuitstuitâh with sallûf. This gives us just enough energy for our journey back to The Hague.”
“Kings Day 2025 once again showed how important a team like TBB is. We often work in the background, but our impact is significant. Operational flexibility, visible and invisible deployment, and an undeniable contribution to the safety of a national holiday. For us, this year was again a successful day to look back on with pride, on to the next!”