Police_World_02_2018

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KÖLNER KARNEVAL David Moore Cheshire Branch I was then picked up from the hotel and taken to ‘Brunosaal’ . A party at the Brunosaal was a very large party with various entertainment, music, dancing and of course Kolsch, the local beer. The Chairman Dietmar Weiss announced the local dignitaries attending and to my surprise included myself. A very enjoyable evening. I was presented with one or two gifts and taken back to my hotel at the end of the festivities. It was a very good evening meeting many old (and new) friends. Sadly the events organised for Saturday were cancelled, but I still had an enjoyable day in Cologne city centre with my granddaughter Catherine. Sunday was a trip out to Longerich. The Branch for some years has Barbados First Contact Rose Halsall Liverpool & Merseyside Branch that The Royal Barbados Police Force is not a member of the IPA. I know that quite a few retired U.K. police officers have bought property there and thought a link might already have been made. I checked the membership section before I left home, then armed myself with a fistful of my Liverpool & Merseyside branch tie pins. I had stocked up before I left in the hope of being able to distribute them to prospective future members! On the day before we left the island, I was walking around Holetown when I saw a young officer on foot patrol. With my husband egging me on (I felt a bit foolish approaching him out of the blue), I went over and introduced myself and offered him a pin. He was delighted and this small gift broke the ice. We had a lovely conversation about his extended family in the UK. As I was by now, on a roll, I then went over to the police station. As friends have since said, it is so pretty and reminded them of the TV programme Death in Paradise! organised this trip to the Carnival parade. In the village I was greeted by many old friends as though it had only been days before and not years. Catherine was taken out to a party that evening by the daughter of a local member.

Cologne Carnival is always held on the week preceding Shrove Tuesday each year and IPA Cologne has for many years organised a week of celebrations. From the time I was picked up at the airport, to the time I left Cologne five days later, I could not have been treated with more kindness and consideration.

On your bike Granddad! So to Rosenmontdag. The day of the main Cologne Carnival parade. It cannot be described. It has to be experienced. All streets in Cologne are closed to traffic and the Parade takes four hours to pass a given spot. All the time, flowers, sweets, chocolates are thrown into the crowds. The population increases by 2 million over Carnival weekend. Fancy dress is the order of the day and enjoyment is the main consideration. IPA has a designated stretch of road and the Branch caters for all, with coffee, cocoa, soup and of course Kolsch. I was greeted by more friends during the day. It was unbelievable. Dietmar picked us up the following day and took us to the Cologne Police Headquarters. Again what a surprise! On arrival Dietmar first presented me with a new pennant of the German Section and then there was a special gift. This turned out to be a wooden token that had been sent on its’ travels from Section 64 in America. It had to be given to a foreign guest and had travelled via New Zealand and South Africa and finally to Cologne and was given to me in order to continue its journey. The token has its’ own Facebook describing its journey. https/www.facebook.com/ipawoodennickel/ I intend to pass this nickel on to a foreign guest visiting the UK in the future.

Me with the young patrol officer

Holetown police station

It was a cold and wet mid December 2017 in the U.K. when I embarked upon what I expect to be my last trip to the Caribbean. I was visiting the beautiful island of Barbados, returning to old haunts with my husband. I had often wondered why, when they are part of the Commonwealth ,

Inside I went to the front desk and again introduced myself and explained about the IPA. More tie pins were distributed and this resulted in smiles all around! Next thing I knew, a Detective was brought to meet with me and he told me that he was on the committee of the equivalent of our Police Federation. His name was Detective Pollard of the Major Crimes Unit. We had an informative chat and he was very interested in what I told him about the IPA fostering friendship throughout the world of policing. We exchanged details for me to pass on to IPA HQ and then another he went to get another officer to meet with us. Superintendent Boyce was delighted to talk with us and we had a very interesting conversation about the differences in policing between our two countries. Thank goodness I had one last pin left! We left the station having spent a lovely half hour, making friends and hopefully sowing the seeds of a new member country for the IPA!

POLICE WORLD Vol 63 No. 2, 2018

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