A group of police officers in one of The Hague’s poorer neighbourhoods have come up with a rap which they hope will help them to ‘connect at street-level’.

‘Our work is to protect the weak, be pro-active to keep everybody safe, we’re multiculti, but woolly talk we don’t need. You better not fok with our beat’, says one officer in a police car.

‘The idea was the result of a brainstorming session we had about making the work we do in the areas we police future proof. We wondered about ways of making clear we are here for everyone,’ police woman Fatima Aboulouafa told local broadcaster Omroep West. ‘We hooked up with Young Agga, a local production company made up of youngsters and they produced the rap.’

In the video, which takes a fair few minutes, a motley crew of Hoefkade officials take to the microphone to rap about areas in The Hague such as Rivierenbuurt, Stationsbuurt and Schilderswijk, which are among the poorer and more conflicted in The Hague.

Some are clearly better at dealing with the rhythm of rap but all are doing their best. They then posted the video on Facebook and let the social media do the rest.

‘We’re in the Rivierenbuurt, in The Hague, where people like to live, a working-class area, on the edge of the centre. Thanks to the mix of young and old, we live in an area that everybody loves,’ with ‘no more little white lines’, rap two burly policemen, giving each other a high-five.

Sincere

‘It wasn’t easy, we all had to leave our comfort zone. But our message is sincere: we want to be there for the people, no matter what their background, race or gender,’ Aboulouafa told the broadcaster.

Reactions to the rap are mixed. VVD councilllor Ingrid Michon tweeted her support but PVV councillor André Elissen was far from pleased and detected a political message.

‘I had a quick listen but it was all about multi culti nonsense and so on and about connecting with people. That is ridiculous: these officers need to do their jobs, the police is boss. This damages their authority’, he told the broadcaster. Elissen will take the matter up with mayor Pauline Krikke, he said.

But what about the people the rap was meant for in the first place? Hundreds have expressed their support on the Facebook page although there are dissenting voices as well.

One commenter said ‘you don’t connect with people with a stupid rap song which makes you look like retard but by being polite to people when you stop them in the street.’