This morning I was at a coffee meeting for fellow expats at my daughter’s school. There were a few new parents there, who arrived during the winter break. So, we got a chance to welcome them and pass along some initial tips. We talked about travel and the weather, which is really cold and rainy right now, and then perceptions of safety here.
I mentioned that my husband views living here as being in a perfectly crafted utopian society. Things are very orderly. The infrastructure is well maintained. There is a high level of personal safety. But then another mom put it best, it is like living in Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood.
We walk or ride bikes most places, yes, we still drive especially in this winter weather, but this means we also interact with our neighbors more often. Recently I was late for a PTA meeting because I ran into two friends along my walk, only to realize one of them lives behind me. The same happens when you go to the grocery store. And I have never once felt unsafe here. In our town, I am quite comfortable walking the dog at 11:30 pm by myself. The only other people out are those walking their dogs and teenagers riding their bicycles back from friends’ houses.
This feeling of safety was reinforced for me recently with the latest crime data.
Recent Dutch crime statistics showed that 133 people were murdered here in 2022. Yes, in the whole country. Of these, only 12 cases remain unsolved. You can read more details in the full DutchNews.nl article.
The Institute for Economics and Peace‘s 2022 Global Peace Index was just released and it confirmed my feelings as well. The list evaluated safety in 163 countries based on three overarching factors – ongoing domestic and international conflict, societal safety and security, and militarisation. The Netherlands ranked #21 on the list, up two spots from last year, while the U.S. ranked #129, down one place.
So here are the real crime alerts we have received since we moved to Wassenaar. Yes, we only have about 25,000 people in town, but still…these are the type of cases that get special attention from police here.
- 1/14 – Burglary at bakery leaves police in search of witnesses
- 12/26 – Wassenaar Police seek witnesses to phone theft
- 11/29 – Police arrest five in robbery of young men in Wassenaar
- 11/2 – Police seek witnesses of recent assault
- 10/29 – Police seek witnesses to assault
- 10/24 – Armed Robbery on Konijnenlaan – this was the talk of the town. Even the police said this was very unusual.
- 9/24 – Police looking for witnesses – “unknown individuals placed a water pipe across a bike path…causing a bicyclist to fall and receive serious injuries.”
Red, White and Tulips 