On April 25, 2024, 19 boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 16 had the opportunity to spend a day with the Lippe police in Waldweg in Detmold. This career exploration day, which was accompanied by the recruitment advice and press office, offered the participants an exciting insight into various areas of police work.
The group started with a visit to the shooting range, where they learned details about operational training and were able to pick up the equipment (such as bulletproof vests and helmets) themselves to feel their weight.
The Crime Directorate then guided the children through a mock crime scene of a residential burglary. Here they were able to examine lever marks on a removed window, look for fingerprints, DNA traces were explained and they could even secure their own shoe print with soot powder and take it home with them. In the end, of course, the perpetrator was convicted.
Afterwards, the service dog handlers were waiting outside with their dogs. Biene, the service dog, demonstrated how to search for and indicate objects, how to bark at a person and how to operate in buildings and out of vehicles. Then Lilly, a mantrailer dog (LAFP), was introduced, who was particularly suitable for petting and searching for people over several kilometers. Finally, service dog Lupo demonstrated how to search vehicles.
After the animal presentations, district service officers Christian Gutowski and Andre Prüßner explained and presented the patrol car and the police command and operational equipment that they carry with them on their day-to-day work.
After the break, the road safety advisors gave a vivid demonstration of the dangers of blind spots. The children were able to experience this first-hand by standing on a triangular foil next to a truck. The foil meant that all the children were positioned in such a way that the child sitting in the driver's seat of the truck could not see anyone. This heightened their awareness of the dangers of everyday road traffic.
At the end of the day, the children were allowed to try out the helmet tester and use a rubber mallet to simulate an accident and its effects on a head with and without a helmet.
All participants received a gift and were delighted with this exciting insight into the world of the police. A big thank you goes to everyone involved, human and animal, who made this special day possible.